The Unthinkable
by Karma1987
Summary: A man forms an attachment to young Katie Sully with disastrous consequences.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Dr Quinn or it's characters.

The Unthinkable

The sun pierced the window of the newly painted waiting room. Sully paused from his work to take in the early morning rays. He had been here since just after dawn, going over the Michaela's extensive lists. His wife had planned everything about this hospital in meticulous fashion, every corner, every cent to be spent mapped out on her lists. She wanted to do her mother proud, the Quinn memorial hospital would be stunning Sully was sure of it.

Slowly he stood up and crossed to the door. He knew if the sun was penetrating the waiting room that it was nearly 8 o'clock, and the town would be waking up. He seized his metal cup and leant against the dark wood door frame. He smiled; outside he could see the cafe, the work crew hastily finishing their breakfasts before they rushed over to start their day of work. The town had grown considerably in the last few years. The tents replaced with wooden structures, more boarding houses, family houses, shops, the extended school house, the larger church and now the hospital. The hospital which almost looked out of place with its brick facade but still fitted into the makeup of the town. Though the town had grown he still recognised most of the townsfolk, at least facially. A few years ago he had known everyone by name, but the railway had changed that, the town was growing and there was little he could do about it.

"Pa"

Sully looked up as the wagon rolled into view, he smiled as his family approached. Michaela eased Bear to a stop while Katie eagerly stood up, nearly toppling from the wagon as it jerked to a stop. Sully hurried down the steps reaching his seven year old daughter before she attempted to leap from the wagon. Katie gave him a beaming smile as she practically launched herself into his arms.

"You missed breakfast" she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Ma made pancakes"

"Did she now" Sully smiled lowering her to the ground "Were they good?"

Katie smiled nervously and shook her head while at the same time whispering "Yeah"

Sully shot her a knowing look and held his hand out to assist Michaela from the wagon. She was oblivious to the moment that had just passed between her husband and daughter.

"Thank you. How is it going?" she asked staring up at the brick building.

"Fine everything is on schedule" Sully told her "Just as it was last night when you asked me then" he smiled and eased his arm around his wife's slender waist. "Relax, everything is going perfectly"

Michaela smiled sheepishly. Sully smiled and pulled her tight gently kissing her soft hair.

"I should go" Katie interrupted her parents. Pulling herself up the side of the wagon she collected her school books "I don't want Joy to be late for her first day of school." Quickly kissing her parents the young girl scampered off, heading towards the cafe to collect Grace and Robert E's young daughter.

* * *

The team were full of their stories of their escapades the night before. So many of them spent their hard gotten gains in the Golden Nugget, and their conversations where often spent comparing the girls that were on display in the establishment. Harrison sighed and turned his attention back to his breakfast. Many of his team where young men, away from their homes for the first time, they were eager to work to earn their keep so they could spend their wages on turning into men. Harrison felt isolated from them, it wasn't that he was older; he was just a different type to them.

The table shuddered as a young blonde girl stumbled into it. "Sorry mister" Harrison smiled at her, as she shot him a beaming smile. She ran off, hand in hand with a young black girl. Harrison watched the blonde girl go and smiled. It was why he liked Colorado Springs, why he stayed in a job that he did not like. Everyone was so polite, the town filled with young families, so safe and simple. Harrison gulped the last of his coffee down and watched as the children scattered around the cafe began to run towards the red school house. He stood up throwing his payment onto the table.

"Come on lads, time for work"

* * *

Sully looked up as Michaela marched into what would be the operating theatre. Her eyes were clouded with anger.

"Katie, I told you to come directly to the clinic when school finished" Michaela started to chastise her daughter. Katie turned solemnly her face covered in a thin film of white dust.

"I wanted to help Pa," Katie stared up at mother sadly "You weren't supposed to see this yet"

"Oh?" Michaela whispered softly, taking in the partially tiled room. Her eyes falling on the piece of wall her daughter had been working on. A small mosaic of what appeared to be a stethoscope entwined with a feather

"You like it" Katie asked nervously.

Michaela nodded and held out her arms for her daughter.

Harrison looked up from his work and watched the mother and daughter hugs, smiling as he took in the sight. Both of females radiated beauty, a beauty enhanced by their tender embrace. Harrison jumped at the sound of Sully clearing his throat. Guilty Harrison broke his gaze from Katie and her mother. Sully stared pointedly at him, a look of displeasure across his face. He was used to men being enthused by Michaela, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Meekly Harrison dropped his tools and rushed from the room, the foreman was an imposing man. Breathing heavily Harrison stopped by the drink station and took a cup carefully pouring himself a cup of water, in an attempt to calm himself down.

"It's hard work, isn't it?" Harrison spun round, Katie smiled innocently up at him "Don't mind Pa, he gets very protective of Ma"

"He does?" Harrison whispered handing the pretty young girl a cup.

"Uh huh, on account of her being so pretty" Katie poured herself a drink "You can come back to work now"

Harrison followed the girl remaining one step behind her, watching her walk her blonde hair bouncing softly with each step. He paused trying to calm himself. The little girl ran to her mother, wrapping her free arm around Michaela's waist. Harrison watched the pair as they stood serenely in each other's embrace.

It was too much and Harrison dropped his mug, turning quickly from the beautiful scene.

Michaela watched with mild concern one of the workers rushed from the area.  
"Do you think he's alright?" Katie asked watching the man rush off.

"Oh I'm sure he's fine" Michaela soothed her daughter "Katie your mosaic is beautiful."

Several men looked up as Harrison rushed past them but not one of them tried to stop him, he was not their friend and his behaviour was of little interest to them. Harrison rushed from the partially finished hospital, struggling to take a deep enough breathe to calm him. He was having to fight so hard, fight his urges so strongly, he had to he knew, he couldn't go from town to town fulfilling his wishes, he just wished somewhere there would be a place where he didn't feel so confronted by his preferences.

His mind muddled with a million thoughts Harrison rushed towards the train station, he did not need to get his belongings, there was nothing of any value to him. He just knew that he needed to get out of this town before he did anything to damage that beautiful little girl.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Five years later.

Katie knocked on the door of her mother's office, hearing no response she carefully opened the door. In the low light spilling from the oil lamp she could make out her mother, asleep in the armchair, a medical journal open on her lap. Katie sighed and made her way into the room.

Kneeling down beside the chair, Katie observed her mother before gently touching her forearm.  
"Ma?"

"Sul...?" Michaela's eyes fluttered open.

"It's me Ma" Katie told her, gently removing the book from her mother's lap.

Michaela stared blearily around her office, before focusing her eyes on her daughter. She smiled, it was moments like these when she could see Sully in her daughter. Most of Katie's features were her own, but the brilliant blue eyes were Sully's, and so was the concern that shone from them.

"What time is it?" Michaela asked.

"Late" Katie told her standing up, "You didn't come and get me, so I came and got you" Katie smiled and held out the eye glasses that were sitting on her mother's desk "You're supposed to wear these when you're reading Ma"

Michaela smiled impishly at her daughter "Yes I know" taking the glasses from Katie's slender hand she positioned the wire framed lenses on her nose and scanned her office. The large oak desk bore the testament to her busy day, papers and journals scattered across the polished surface. Slowly she stood up, gently rolling her head to try and ease the stiffness that she was feeling. As she did she caught sight of the clock on the wall. "Katie, it's 8 o'clock!"

"I know, I helped Joy with her math and then I went to wait for Pa's train but Horace got a message to say it would be late because there is a tree on the line." Katie explained, carefully straightening her mother's books. "Then I helped Loren and Miss Dorothy in the store, they were having a little trouble getting things on the top shelves"

Michaela observed her daughter for a few moments, she was still so young yet sometimes she seemed so grown up, and as much as Katie looked like her, she was definitely her father's daughter when it came to temperament, except for the stubbornness, which was a Quinn trait through and through. "Did Horace say when the train would be in?"

"About now" Katie held out her hand for her mother and began to lead her to the door.

The pair walked arm in arm through the hospital, it was beginning to quiet down after a fairly hectic day. The hospital never seemed to be still, when it had opened Michaela had only planned for it to be open 12 hours a day, with a small contingent of nurses to mind whatever patient there may be in at the time. That plan had failed miserably, as people travelled for miles to be treated at the hospital, in fact it was only this morning that she had drawn up plans to hire another physician, the patient load had become too much for just her and Dr Simon Fischer, even with the 3 students from Colorado University working their internships. It was a question of balance, balancing case loads, balancing the books, balancing staff levels. She could employ another nurse in an attempt to ease the burden and request another student from the university, or employ another Doctor and let two of her existing nurses go. That and the pressing need for a porter come caretaker, it seemed like an insurmountable problem, at least for tonight. But at least Sully would finally be home from his trip.

* * *

The train eased into the station, an hour and a half late, a fallen tree had blocked the way and clearing it had taken time with the rain beating down from the dark sky.

Harrison climbed down the steps of the train. It had been a long time since he had been in Colorado Springs, and in the gloom it appeared that little had changed, except for a few more houses. As he turned to leave the station he caught sight of something that made him stop. A woman and a blonde girl rushing down the platform with beaming smiles adorning their pretty faces. He recognised them both, the older woman was unquestionably the Doctor, just a little greyer and slightly fuller but it was the girl that caught his attention, where she had been pretty before now she was stunning, a young girl on the cusp of womanhood. The pair rushed towards a man who had disembarked the train from the other end. Harrison watched as the pair approached him. Harrison looked surprised, it was the foreman, but he looked so different with his much shorter hair, and dressed in a suit. Quietly Harrison turned away from the family reunion and slunk off into town to find a bunk, but as he left he could not help himself but to turn around and take another long look at the blonde girl.

* * *

Sully walked into the bedroom and smiled, Michaela was sat at her vanity, peering over her glasses and staring intently at the roots of her long hair. In the last year her mid life had consumed her and she had needed the eye glasses more and more, her long hair had began rapidly losing its colour, and she had gained a bit of weight adding shape to her slender form. Despite that she was still beautiful though she did not seem to be able to see it herself.

"I've heard that there is treatment that can be used to colour it" Michaela asked looking at Sully through his reflection.

"I like it the way it is" Sully whispered coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her.

"But it makes me look old" Michaela moaned, resting her head into Sully's chest.

"You're a grandmother, remember, you are allowed to look old" Sully teased her gently, he didn't get the reaction he hoped for and instead of her beautiful smile, he watched her eyes fill with tears. He instantly regretted his comment, the subject of the grandchildren was a sore subject for Michaela, with both Brian and Colleen still in Boston they very rarely saw the Colleen's two boys or Brian's young daughter. They even struggled to see Matthew he was so busy with his legal practice even though he was only a short train ride away. "You're not old, Michaela, you're just as beautiful as the day you stepped off that stage"

Michaela smiled at him through watery eyes "You always know just what to say" she turned her head so her lips found his, but as they did they were interrupted by the sound of the door being hammered upon. Michaela groaned, she had distinctly requested that she not be disturbed tonight, especially as Sully had returned from his three week trip.

"I'll get it"

He left, leaving Michaela to pull on her robe over her nightgown. In what seemed like a moment Sully was back, a frantic look on his face.

"Sully?" Michaela asked concerned by the way her husband appeared.

"It's from Brian," Sully paused, his eyes filling with tears "Laura and Charlotte, they're sick; the Doctors don't think they are going to make it"

* * *

Katie rushed after her parents as they hurried to get their belongings loaded onto the first train of the morning. Her parents had been rushing since Horace had brought the message late last night. They had began a mad scramble to gather the things that they would need for a potentially lengthy stay in Boston and that Katie would need for a stay in town, Something which Katie did not agree with.

"Ma I want to come" She begged her mother, desperately trying to get her parents to let her come along, it was not that she resented being forced to stay with Dorothy and Loren it was she hated to be apart from her parents, especially when there was a chance that her two year old niece whom she had only seen twice could be dying.

"You have school Katie." Michaela shot at her before turning to Doctor Fischer who had come to get his instructions from his employer. "The university will require updates on the interns..." Michaela started to reel off at the young doctor.

Exasperated Katie spun on her heels and rushed to her father, who was helping the porter to load the heavy trunk. "Pa, please let me come"

Sully pushed the trunk fully onto the baggage car and turned to face his daughter. "You can't Katie" he said simply, he held his arms open for her, when Katie didn't step into his embrace he dropped them to his sides. It seemed that Katie was changing as much as she had done when she was a small child, more and more she was turning into a version mother. Sully took a step forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, Katie stood firm, almost shrugging her shoulder out of his grip. "I know you want to come, but your Ma wants you to stay"

"I want to see Charlotte" Katie reasoned plaintively

"I know, but your Ma doesn't want you to miss school," Katie relented finally stepping into her father's comforting embrace "She doesn't want you to get sick either"

"But..."

"Ssh, I know but we'll be back in a few weeks." Sully released Katie as the porter sounded for immediate embarkation. "I'll let you know when we arrive" straightening up he called for his wife, who was still reeling off instructions to her bewildered looking colleague.

The train let off its whistle to indicate its immediate departure and Sully quickly pulled Michaela onto the train. As the train began to move, Michaela appeared to remember her daughter and turned towards the young girl who had begun to run down the platform.

"Bye Katie" Michaela called watching as Katie was forced to stop by the embankment "I love you"

* * *

Dr Simon Fischer sat down at his desk exhausted, for all the admiration he had for his employer she could be so officious at times. His head was buzzing with all the instructions she had given him. He'd been so excited when he had accepted this position 4 years ago, the chance to work in a hospital, something so much more exciting then working at his father's small practice. In reality it had been so much more difficult than he had expected. When he'd accepted the position he thought it would be a nice new hospital, he'd get to perform surgeries and at the end of the day go home to his lovely home and wife. The lovely home and wife had never materialised through, Simon had never had time to even have the notion of meeting an appropriate woman let alone court one, and as for the house, it was a distant dream, he still remained in his 'temporary accommodation' of a room at Michaela's old clinic, the building which Sully used as his office. It could be worse he supposed, he could have shared the interns dorm in the attic space of the hospital; at least he had his own door.

The door opened and a rather damp and flustered nurse rushed in. "Dr Fischer!"

"Evelyn?" Simon stared at the young woman curiously.

"The pipe to the sink has broken" the young nurse breathily told him.

Simon groaned she needn't explain more, by the sink he knew that she meant the sink in the nurse's dorm. The sink presented a perpetual problem, not least because the water seemed to rebel at being forced four stories up in the air. Michaela had assured him that Sully would fix it on his return, but he had never had a chance. If the leak wasn't fixed soon Simon was sure that the water would penetrate the ward below.

"Get the patients moved into the other ward" Simon told her tiredly.

"Mix the wards" the nurse looked at him shocked. "We can't move them anyway, Mr Gregson has to remain immobilised and Mr Adams is too large for Jenny and I to handle"

Simon sighed "Fine, go get Robert E, I'll move the patients" it was times like this that the requirement of a porter or caretaker was so sorely felt. They had had a porter until recently, but the man had moved away and Sully had been acting as caretaker, in the time he had off from his work. Simon followed the damp nurse out of his office, today was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Can I join you?"

Katie looked up from her uneaten food at the question; she was seated in the middle of the cafe silently stewing over the situation. The man before her gave a crooked smile, and she appraised him, taking in that his clothes didn't fit him properly and that he was in dire need of a good shave and haircut.

"I'd sit elsewhere but all the tables are full" Katie glanced around the cafe, seeing that what he said was true "So can I?" the man asked again.

"Sure, it's a free country" Katie whispered sullenly to him.

The man sat down gratefully and signalled to Grace that he'd like to order. "I'll have what she's got" he ordered quickly. Katie ignored the man and continued to push her food around her plate. "Something eating you?"

Katie looked up at his question. "It's not important"

"Sure it is" the man pressed her "It's not right that a pretty girl like you should have a scowl on her face"

Katie smiled slightly at his compliment "My Ma and Pa just left, my niece and sister in law are sick"

"And you wanted to go with them" the man accepted his food from Grace with a beaming smile. Katie shrugged, "Didn't want to get left behind with your grandparents"

"What?" Katie looked up at the man confused.

"Saw you in the store, are the old couple not your grandparents?" the man asked her innocently.

Katie shook her head "That's Loren and Miss Dorothy" She looked up at the man with a curious look "Have you been following me?"

"Nah, needed some supplies, beside town ain't big enough for me to follow you, just wanted some food. I'm Harrison, what's your name?" Harrison asked knowing perfectly well what her reply would be.

Katie stared at the man cautiously for a few moments before finally answering.

"So Katie, what can I do to put a smile on that pretty face of yours" Harrison asked, adopting a persona that to a casual observer would sound like a friendly uncle trying to cheer up the girl.

"You can't"

Before Harrison had a chance to react a flustered looking young woman ran into the cafe. "Grace, where's Robert E?"

The cafe owner stared the young nurse down "He's out doing some repairs at the Chateau. Why?"

"We've got a burst pipe at the hospital, the water is going everywhere"

"I'll do it" Harrison spoke, earning himself the gaze of the cafe clientele. "Used to work on building sites, sure I can handle a bit of indoor plumbing."

* * *

Simon looked up at the sound of footsteps, he had successfully moved the male patients into the female ward, and thankfully the only female patient was so elderly she wouldn't have noticed if she was sharing the ward with a horse. Now he was desperately trying to fix the spurting pipe, something he was failing in, it just seemed to him that this new indoor plumbing was more trouble than it was worth. He looked relieved as Evelyn returned followed by Katie Sully and a man, who although he was not the trusted blacksmith was carrying a tool box.

The man took control immediately reaching into his tool box for something to patch the pipe with. After a few moments the water stopped spurting into the room.

"That will hold it for a bit, until I can replace the pipe" Harrison muttered, wiping the water from his face. "Need to replace the whole section here" he pointed at the pipe, indicating to the sodden physician what was required.

"Have you done this type of work before?" Simon asked, drying his hands with a cloth that Katie had passed to him.

"Yeah," Harrison muttered "Done a bit of everything"

"Do you need a job?" Simon asked looking almost desperate at the man.

Harrison looked at the male doctor with surprise, before his eyes fell onto young Katie stood only a few steps behind him. "Yeah"

"Excellent" Simon held out his hand "We need a caretaker and porter, the job is yours if you wish"

Harrison glanced at Katie, who was smiling at him, the thought that he might have a legitimate reason for seeing her everyday was enough. He seized the Doctors hand shaking it roughly, "Best see to getting a spare piece of pipe"


	3. Chapter 2

_Ok, so this is when things get bad for Katie, I've tried to make it as ungraphic as possible considering Katie's age and tried to make it more about Harrison psyche than the event, however I know it may upset some peeps so viewer discretion is advised etc._

_That being said I hope those of you that do read it enjoy it (well as much as you can) comments welcome. Also I've been dithering over the rating, if you think I should upgrade it to an M let me know_

_Kate_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 2

Katie looked up from her school work as the lanky post master strode into the mercantile.

"Sorry Katie" Horace apologised seeing her hopeful look. Katie sighed, her parents had been gone for two weeks, and while they sent her messages every few days, it was not like having them with her; inwardly Katie cursed herself for being so stubborn when her parents had left. She hadn't even given her mother a hug. From the tone of the messages she knew the visit was not going well, the fact that Sully had said that Charlotte was holding on, did not fill Katie with any hope that she would ever see her niece again.

Dorothy noticed the young girl's forlorn expression and carefully placed her arm around the girls shoulder. "They'll be home soon" Katie laid her pencil down on her book and gazed up at the woman that she had come to look at as her grandmother. Katie nodded. Dorothy smiled kindly at the young girl and gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"I just want to know that everything will be alright" Katie sighed, her brilliant blue eyes filling with tears.

"Perhaps you would like a change from all this school work, you could help me with the set the type for the gazette" Dorothy offered.

Almost reluctantly Katie nodded her head. The gazette had changed so much in her lifetime, and even though Dorothy was technically retired as editor, she still wrote articles and set the type for every issue.

* * *

Loren watched his wife and pseudo grandchild leave his store. It had taken him a long time to make his mind up and propose to Dorothy again, and a long time for her to accept as she struggled with her feelings for the absent Cloud Dancing. Their relationship was more for companionship than anything else, but they were happy, and really that was all that mattered.

He glanced to his left and frowned, a man stood staring out of the window. Loren seized him up, he was of medium build, with dark straggly hair and probably in his mid forties. It wasn't however the man's appearance which Loren objected to him, it was the way he was staring almost lustfully out of the window, staring it seemed at Dorothy. The man realised that he was being watched and gave Loren a beaming smile.

"Those girls at the Gold Nugget sure are something" the man offered.

"Uh-huh" Loren muttered taking the goods that the man was carrying "That'll be $2 and 42 cents"

"Might it be possible to set up an account" the man asked "I just got a job at the hospital"

Loren eyed the man uneasily "Payment is due on these but I can get an account set up, got to provide me with an address though, Mr?"

"Wheeler" the man held out his hand "Harrison Wheeler"

* * *

Harrison checked round the corner, he was half way through the long list of chores that the flustered male Doctor had given him. The hospital was busy which served him perfectly, as it meant that no one was really keeping tabs on their new staff member. Quickly he slipped into the drug log up, a small cupboard sized room which housed the drugs in orderly fashion. Surreptitiously he pocketed the drug that he needed and slunk out of the room.

"Hey Harrison"

Harrison jumped at the sound of his name. "Katie" he smiled at the beautiful girl, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to sit in Ma's office," Katie gave him a warm smile "How are you liking it?"

"Fine thanks" Harrison fell in step with her, his heart was pounding and he could barely make out the words that her beautiful lips were forming.

"...well I'll see ya" Katie told him brightly reaching her mother's office.

Harrison nodded and watched the girl slipped into the office. He exhaled slowly desperately trying to bring his emotions in check. The thoughts that had been rushing around his had since he first arrived into town two weeks were almost too much to bear. It had been two years since he had felt this way, and it was becoming impossible to deny his urges.

* * *

Katie eased her horse Star into a gentle trot; it had taken all her persuasive powers to get Dorothy to allow her to return home, though the older woman had insisted that she come along too. It was the first time in Katie's life that she was pleased the Loren had broken a jar. With her guardian's occupied with Loren's bleeding hand, she had been able to get out to the home she missed so much. It had felt strange to be back at her home with no family, knowing they were so far away. She had thought that it would make her feel better but in reality the visit home had just made her miss them more. She had not expected to be so long, she had not expected to fall asleep on her parent's bed, but the feeling of comfort that had come from being near things that were theirs had relaxed her.

She kicked Star in the flanks urging her to move faster, the road was bathed in twilight and she knew that Dorothy would be concerned about her, considering that she had promised she would not be too long. As she sped up the cold winter air bit into her as the horse picked up speed. She was beginning to get concerned that her parents would be away for the holidays, which would mean there would be no celebrations. Not that celebrations were important, and any that was held this year would most likely be sombre affairs if the worst was to happen to Brian's family

Her musings about the approaching festive season, coupled with the early evening gloom and the speed in which she was travelling, meant that Katie was not giving the road her full attention. With a scream she hit a branch; a branch which had her mind been able to process what was happening she would know should not have been there. The force of the impact caused her to fall from the back of her horse and she landed on the cold hardened ground heavily. She winced, struggling to get her lungs to operate properly her breath not seeming to reach deep enough into her lungs for her to be able to function. She was battling to remain conscious, a consciousness that was robbed from her as an ether soaked cloth was forced over her mouth.

* * *

Dorothy marched the streets of Colorado Springs again, she had checked all of Katie's school friends, and none had seen her. Dorothy was sure she would have returned from the homestead by now, as despite the headstrong ways that Katie had inherited from her parents, she was sensible enough to know she should not be riding in the night.

"Dorothy!" Dorothy turned to Grace as her friend called her name. Grace was leading a horse, one that even in the encroaching darkness, Dorothy could make out as Katie's horse Star. "She's just run into town"

Dorothy gasped in shock, her mind racing with a million things that could have happened to Michaela's daughter. "Dorothy where was Katie going?" Grace pressed, beckoning to her husband who was banking down the fire at the livery.

"She went to the homestead" Dorothy whispered panic coursing through her veins.

"Robert E get a group of men together" Grace called to her husband as he moved towards her, "I think Katie's fallen from her horse"

* * *

Harrison carefully peeled back Katie's clothes revealing her pale chest to the night air, her breasts were just buds seemingly waiting to be plucked and it thrilled him. He had got to her just at the right time, before she became ravaged by womanhood. Quickly he did what he needed to do, bringing himself to climax in only a few short minutes. He had been gentle, careful not to damage her soft flesh in any way that would arouse suspicion. He surveyed her for a few moments in the flickering light of the fire he had constructed. He knew he did not have much time, but he wanted to savour this moment. Savour it so he could replay it over and over in his mind; savour it so he could keep his urges at bay.

As quickly as he had revealed her he covered the girl back up, covering her now tainted flesh. Now he was done with her, he no longer felt the desire for her that he once had, she was spoiled for him. He turned kicking out the fire with dirt. As the darkness fell in the woods he set about making his plan come to fruition. Carefully he raised a rock above his head, and brought it down gently on the young girl's skull, he did not hit her hard, just hard enough to cut her skin and cause an injury that would explain her unconscious state to the search party that would undoubtedly be looking for her. Next he seized her by the arm and yanked it, making sure to pull in a way that would dislocate her shoulder but would not leave his finger marks on her forearm. His work complete he gently lifted Katie into his arms and made his way back to the road. In the distance he could see torch light and he knew he did not have much time. Carefully he arranged her still body in a way that would corroborate her injuries. His work complete he reached for his knife and cut through the thread that held her silver button of her cloak to the fabric. Tucking his keepsake in his pocket, Harrison bade his prize one last look before running into the woods to hide.

* * *

"Whoa" Jake called bringing his horse to a stop as he spotted the unnatural hump in the road. With vigour that he had long thought had left him he leapt from his horse breaking into a run as soon as his feet touched the ground. He fell to the ground beside Katie, closely followed by Hank and Robert E

"How is she?" Robert E asked anxiously, as Jake carefully lifted Katie so she was facing skywards.

"She's breathing" Jake breathed a sigh of relief, without hesitation, he lifted Katie into his arms, a sick feeling passing over him as he noticed the unnatural movement of her arm. "We have to get her to Fischer"

"Give her to me" Hank called jumping onto his horse and holding his arms out to accept the girl. Jake eagerly handed her up to him. Hank positioned Katie in his arms so he could ride at speed and keep a good grip. "Shouldn't expect anything less considering your parents, kid" he muttered slamming his heels into the flanks of his horse.

* * *

Dorothy watched Katie intently, watching the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out. She had remained at Katie's bed side since the men had found her. Dr Fischer had set her shoulder and stitched the wound on her head, but there was nothing he could do for the unconsciousness that came with the head injury. Now all they could do was wait. Dorothy was mortified, and she knew this above anything would damage her friendship with Michaela, nothing was more important to Michaela than her children, and here through her own neglect Dorothy had almost caused her to lose one. She knew that Katie's accident had been just that, but she never should have let the girl go alone, she should have forced her to wait while Loren's hand had been stitched.

Dorothy sat up as Katie gave a small moan. "Katie?" Katie moaned again her hand reaching for the egg shaped mass on her forehead. "No No leave it Katie" Dorothy caught Katie's hand and guided it back to the bed. "Katie can you open your eyes"

Slowly the young girl peeled her bruising lids open revealing her blue eyes irises surrounded by bloodstained whites. Dorothy stopped herself from gasping, but inside she felt like crying at how bad the young girl looked.

"Where's Ma, Pa?" Katie whispered her voice catching in her throat.

"They're in Boston sweetheart, but we sent word, they promised to get back as soon as they could" Katie closed her eyes again, a pained expression on her face. "Katie?" Dorothy asked concerned.

"It hurts" Katie whispered pushing her good arm beneath the hospital covers.

"It will do sweetheart, you dislocated your shoulder and that's a nasty bump on your head"

"No," Katie whispered, "My stomach hurts, it feels strange" slowly she brought her hand above the covers, her fingers showing a trace of blood "What's wrong with me?"

Dorothy smiled with compassion at the young girl, if she didn't have enough to deal now she was going to have to deal with the joys of womanhood. "Nothing is wrong with you, Katie, you've started you monthlies"


	4. Chapter 3

_And so after all the unpleasentness of the last chapter a bit of tlc for the Sully's_

Chapter 3

Michaela rushed from her seat as the train pulled into Colorado Springs, it had taken them 10 days to reach home. A train workers strike in the East meaning they had been forced to take a stage to Denver, which had meant an interminably long and uncomfortable journey. Made all the worse by the knowledge that her little girl was hurt and she hadn't been there to help her. Sully had tried to quash her guilt but she was having none of, all she wanted now was her little girl.

Sully followed his wife with an expression of concern on his face. Michaela looked exhausted, which meant she was probably feeling abominable. The journey had taken them so long, and he knew she had barely slept. For almost a month now his wife had been living in a heightened level of stress, first with the near death of Brian's young family and then with the word of Katie's accident. He hated to see her beautiful face etched with her fear and concern but there was nothing he could do to remove it. Michaela was disembarking as the train jerked to a stop, causing her to stumble. Sully rushed to help her before she fell and did herself an injury, but thankfully Horace was there to catch her hand and help her safely to the platform. The post master having the canny foresight to stand by the steps as the train pulled in.

Michaela barely seemed to register Horace's gesture, but Sully nodded his thanks to the older man as he scrambled down the wooden steps after his wife.

"I'll get your bags sent to the hospital" Horace offered returning Sully's grateful smile with a nod.

Michaela rushed along the street as fast as she could in her bulky winter dress. She was walking so fast she appeared to be skating across the icy ground. Quickly she pushed her way onto the porch of the store, nearly knocking two customers into the fruit display with her haste.

"Katie!" Michaela called for her daughter as she burst into the mercantile.

"Michaela!" Dorothy called happily, rushing to meet her friend. Michaela half heartedly accepted Dorothy's warm hug "Katie's been missing you so much"

"Where is she?"Michaela asked anxiously scanning the shop for any sign of Katie.

"She's upstairs" Dorothy held her arm out guiding Michaela to the steps to the second floor.

"Why?"

"She hasn't been sleeping all that well, the pain in her shoulder" Dorothy soothed the worried mother "She's been taking naps on occasion when she needs to"

Dorothy led Michaela to the room that housed Katie, and smiled "She's doing Ok. Michaela, I'm so sorry"

Michaela looked up at her friend with surprise, before wiping the look of concern from her face with a beautiful smile "It wasn't your fault Dorothy, it was an accident. Besides would you expect anything less of a child of Sully and mine? Our little girl has always been independent, this would have happened regardless."

Michaela reached for the handle but before she could push open the door Dorothy caught her hand, "Michaela, there's something else" the older woman smiled "Your little girl is not a little girl anymore"

"What?" Michaela pulled her hand back alarmed

Dorothy placed a reassuring arm around Michaela's shoulders and pushed open the bedroom door for the other woman to see her daughter "While you were away, Katie started her monthlies, she's a little woman now"

Michaela stared at her friend speechless before turning her head to focus on her slumbering daughter. Slowly she made her way into the small room; Katie was lying awkwardly, no doubt trying to protect her damaged shoulder from causing her more pain. Michaela studied Katie's face, the bruises caused by the blow to the head were yellowing and mostly gone, but she still looked damaged. It was too much, Michaela's eyes flooded with tears and she sank to her knees beside the bed, shaking, she let out an audible sob. Katie's eyes fluttered open.

"Ma?"

"Oh Katie" Michaela whispered moving forward to embrace her daughter.

"Ma!" Katie sat up straight so she could be taken into her mother's arms. "Ma you're home, you're home!"

* * *

Sully slowly the wagon to a gentle halt and turned to look at his sleeping girls. For the first time in a very long while Michaela had sat in the back of the wagon, the need to be with her daughter after such a long separation too great, and to his relief the gentle rocking of the wagon and the feeling of having her daughter in her arms again had lulled Michaela into a restful sleep, her face serene. He stared at the two females nestled together under a blanket and his heart over flowed with love for them. He wished he would not have to wake them, and could leave them to their sleep but he could not, the December weather was far too cold for that. Carefully he rubbed his wife's arm, rousing her.

"We're home" he told her gently.

She smiled broadly at him, her eyes still hazy with sleep and stared up at the darkened homestead "So we are" Michaela unwrapped her right arm from around Katie and reached up to touch his face, gently stroking the shadow of stubble that was growing on his rugged chin. "I think you need a shave" she smiled sweetly at him.

"I think I need my bed" Sully leant forward and kissed his wife gently. "So do you"

Michaela stifled a yawn "I believe you're right," she turned her attention back to the house that had been her home for almost 14 years. "I didn't know it was possible to miss as place so much"

Sully smiled and leapt down from the seat "Don't reckon it's the building, more like the memories. Here" he opened the tail of the wagon "I'll carry her," Michaela helped Sully to take Katie into his arms, carefully positioning their daughter in the way that he had used to carry her as a small child, her head nestled into his neck. "Do you need a hand?"

Michaela shook her head and carefully slithered almost elegantly from the wagon. "I'll put the horse in the barn" she whispered gently kissing Sully and then Katie,

"By yourself?" Sully teased her gently. Michaela smiled at him, her nose wrinkling as she pulled an amused face at him. "Oh yeah I forgot. You're not a helpless Bostonian lady anymore"

Michaela giggled, her face losing the last vestiges of tension and stress that had been etched on it for too many weeks "Get Katie inside before she catches cold, I'll be in a few minutes" She turned and began leading the horse toward the barn. The sound of the front door creaking open made her look back at the house and she let out a sigh, for the first time in a month feeling at peace.

* * *

Katie pulled herself out of bed, and crept towards her door, it was dark, too dark, but she knew her way and navigated her way around the room with ease. Quickly she made her way down the hallway to her parents' room and snuck inside.

Their room was lit by the soft glow of the dying fire; she smiled, and moved to her mother's rocking chair near the fire. She was so pleased that her parents were home, not least because they had brought news of her niece's recovery but just for the fact that they were here, they were with her. For the first time since her accident she did not feel sleepy, she felt as though she would never need sleep again. She watched her parents taking in everything she could of them, although it was stupid she had felt as if her memories of what they looked like had been fading. They had changed, in the month they had been away; her father's hair had grown longer, nowhere near as long as it had been when she was a child, but long enough to single him out from Boston society which was why she was sure he had let it grow. However it was her mother who had changed the most. She had lost weight, taking her to smaller than what she had been before her mid life, she almost looked frail, especially as she lay curled up next to the strong solid form of her husband. As well as that her hair had lost its shine, no doubt from the stress and poor eating habits that she would have adopted in Boston. Katie leant forward in the chair to take a closer look at her mother, the runner scraping across the floor board as she did. She grimaced as she saw her father stir.

"Katie?" he looked up at her with concern. "You alright?"

"I wanted to see you"

Slowly Sully disentangled himself from Michaela, careful not to wake her and padded across the floor to his daughter. "You missed us huh?" he whispered to Katie gently, crouching so he held the same eye level as his daughter. Katie nodded her head with force and then winced. "Easy, does it still hurt a lot?"

"Sometimes" Katie admitted "I feel really stupid; I don't even remember what happened. I can't believe I didn't see a branch"

"These things happen" Sully smiled "So you want to fill me in on what's been happening here, other than your dramatic fall that is"

Katie grinned at her father "Dr Fischer hired a porter for the hospital, he fixed the pipe in the nurses' room, he's real strong, moved Mr Adams all by himself"

Sully pouted "Do you think he's stronger than me?"

"No one's stronger than you, you're the strongest and the kindest man, no one beats you"

"What about your Ma?" Sully stared across to Michaela "What's she best at?"

"She's the brightest and the loveliest"

"Sounds right, though I reckon she might have competition on that last one" Sully leant forward and gave Katie a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Byron Sully" Sully and Katie turned to the bed, Michaela smiled at them playfully through her sleepy eyes "Am I losing you to a younger woman?"

Sully smiled and crawled over to the bed "Not a chance" he kissed Michaela on the lips "Though I do need to make a request regarding said younger woman"

"Oh"

Sully looked at Michaela shyly, his eyes dancing with love and humour "How would you feel if she shared our bed for the night?"

"I think I can make an exception" Michaela leant her head forward to brush her lips against Sully's.

Sully grinned and pivoted in his crouched position to hold his hand out to Katie "That is, if she would like to join us?"

"You really mean it?" Katie asked eagerly. Gaining positive nods from both her parents she scampered from the chair, moving faster then she had in the last two weeks and crossed to the beautiful carved bed. Carefully she climbed over her mother, and nestled herself beneath the covers.

Sully returned to his side of the bed and placed his strong arms over his daughter and around Michaela pulling the family in tight together into each other's comforting embrace. Quickly they fell asleep sharing each other's warmth, a family once more.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sully rose early, it was the spring now with that came the lighter mornings and found himself awakening earlier. The winter had been relatively kind on their return to Colorado Springs, and they had few issues, indeed even the hospital had been no busier than the standard of the summer months. There were times though when Michaela had felt the need to stay at the hospital, just as she had the previous night, concerned for a premature infant. Sully sighed, stretching his stiff muscles; he always struggled to sleep when Michaela was not with him.

Slowly he made his way towards the steps, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. A noise in the kitchen startled him. He hurried down the stairs hoping that he would find his wife, eager to hold her in his arms. "Michaela?" he asked hopefully "Katie!" he looked surprised to see his daughter stood at the table, already dressed despite the early hour. Katie looked up guiltily at her father before turning back to making what to Sully looked like a meagre lunch. "What are you doing?"

"I thought I'd walk to school"

Sully looked at her surprised "It's a bit far to walk Katie"

Katie looked up at him solemnly "I want to get some exercise" her blue eyes glanced downwards towards her fuller than normal torso. Sully averted his eyes knowing how embarrassed young girls could get as they developed, awkward to be faced with a potential conversation with his daughter on the subject.

"We'll take the wagon to school" Sully told her, moving around the table towards her "But if you want we could go for a hike in the woods at the weekend" Katie nodded her head but remained silent, her face stony. Sully frowned, Katie was normally so chatty, her disposition normally described as sunny, but the past few weeks she had seemed to come withdrawn and on occasion sullen. Unsure of how to proceed Sully cleared his throat "If you're worried about..." he paused and nodded towards Katie's chest, uncomfortable to be having this conversation with his daughter "Maybe you should speak to your Ma about this, she'll be able to explain it better than me" he coughed and turned away from Katie as she gave him an alarmed look. Quickly Sully moved to the counter. A still full plate sat by the sink, a slice of toast cut in half with quarter of one slice consumed, two mouthfuls in total, if that. He cast a look at Katie, who shuffled awkwardly under his gaze "let me fix you some proper breakfast, you'll be hungry else wise"

* * *

Harrison lowered his coffee to the worn table that he sat at in the cafe. He was concerned; it was only 4 months since he had satisfied himself yet already he could feel his urges building up. Normally he could go for a year or more, but perhaps he had chosen wrongly when he had chosen Katie, it seemed as though her beauty had blinded him to her age, and she had been too old to satisfy him the way he needed to remain in control.

He cast his dark eyes around the open air establishment; there were a few potential candidates but one which stood out more than others. A young girl, perhaps no more than eight, with long dark brown hair, which surprised him as he usually favoured blonde, but perhaps it was the sparkle in her dark eyes or her cheerful laugh which was what brought her to his attention in the first place. Harrison shook his head trying to quash his feelings; he knew he couldn't act on them, to do so would mean certain detection. However it didn't hurt to look, he faced the girl taking a long hard look at her imagining what she would look like under her long patterned dress. It would get him through the day, and alone in his head he could do whatever he wished with no fear of detection at all.

Katie put the apple on the counter of the mercantile and reached for her money pouch, she was hungry; she always seemed to be hungry. She knew it was because she wasn't eating but she didn't want to eat, she didn't want to grow outward any more than she already had.

"Katie" Loren greeted her warmly rising from the table where he had been seated discussing business with Hank. "Got some lemon drops in today's delivery"

"No thank you"

Loren raised his eyebrow "How 'bout some ..."

"I'll just take the apple thank you" Katie said quickly, interrupting.

Loren looked at Katie in surprise, Katie never interrupted people, Michaela and Sully had raised her far too well for that. He frowned, concerned by her behaviour and the worried look on her face "But you love lemon drops"

Katie placed her payment on the counter "I don't want any Mr Bray" she shook her head forcefully to emphasise her point.

"Why not?" Loren pressed; genuinely concerned especially as she had called him Mr Bray, something she had not done for many years.

"Because I don't, I don't want to get..." Katie stopped herself and glanced down her face blushing crimson with embarrassment and shame.

Dorothy moved alongside her husband, her face holding the same expression of concern. "You're not fat Katie"

"No course not! Nothing of you, look at your wrist, I could snap it like a twig" Loren scoffed, surprised at what Dorothy had deciphered from Katie's half sentence "If it's boys at school, than you just..."

Katie shook her head forcefully again shaking her blonde hair loose from her braid "I have to go" she glanced at the older pair, her blue eyes not making eye contact "Bye" with that she rushed from the mercantile leaving Loren and Dorothy to stare after her with confusion.

* * *

Michaela looked up at the tentative knock on her office door. "Yes" Katie slowly peered her head round the door. Michaela smiled, it had been a long and stressful night as she had dealt with the birth of an 8 week premature infant. The child was doing as well as could be expected, yet even though there was nothing more she could do and despite the fact she had not returned home in over 24 hours she felt compelled to stay. Her daughter's appearance was welcome.

"Can I talk to you Ma?" Katie asked cautiously, hovering by the door.

Michaela nodded and held her arms out to Katie, expecting her to walk around the desk and hug her as she usually did. Instead Katie crossed to the chair in front of the desk and sat down. "You mean as a patient?" Michaela asked alarmed.

"Not really...but...um... as a woman" Katie stumbled over her words. She had never been nervous when speaking to her parents, but this time it was difficult and her brain just didn't seem to be able to focus on what she wanted to say, her mouth not able to form the right words. She looked up at her mother, who was sat staring at her with wide eyed concern "I...I...I" Katie stopped and took a deep breath "You know monthlies, aren't they called monthlies because they are supposed to come every month?"

Michaela let out a sigh of relief "Is that's what's been worrying you? Katie, it's very common for girls who are just starting menstrual cycle to be irregular, you may not settle into a pattern for years, if at all. I was never regular; it's nothing to be concerned over"

"And things getting bigger?" Katie waved her hand in the general area of her torso.

Michaela smiled and rose from behind her desk to move alongside her daughter. "It's normal too. You know Colleen had the same concerns."

"She did?"

Michaela nodded and held her hand out, Katie took it and stood beside her mother, gently leaning against her and resting her head on Michaela's shoulder "Her figure blossomed before her friends but they all caught up. Are people saying things at school?"

Katie shook her head "I just don't like being different" Katie leant her head against she mother's chest releasing a heavy sigh. "I have to go back to school. Are you coming home tonight?"

"Of course. I'll collect you from school" Michaela kissed the top of Katie's head.

Katie laughed slightly "Maybe I should come collect you. I'll be finished before you will." She glanced down at her mother's paper covered desk "I can help you with your filing"

* * *

Hank pulled himself straight at the sight of Katie walking down the road, his interest had been piqued by her little outburst in the store earlier, and it had set his mind on overdrive. He watched her, her heavy dark blue dress standing out against the pale, light spring dresses that many of the women in town had begun to wear as the weather warmed up. Yet Katie had resiliently stuck with her winter wear despite the fact that it was designed to keep the wearer warm in the sub zero temperatures that came with winter in Colorado and not to be worn in the latter part of a pleasantly warm March. Hank studied the young girl curiously, her dress was tight on her, almost straining but it was only noticeable when you looked hard, the dark colour hiding any stress the material was under. Hank had seen girls expand before when they hit the age of development but Katie's was different, her expansion in other places as well as the usual areas. With his line of business Hank was used to watching for signs of unwanted things in his girls that could affect business. Had Katie been one of his girls he would have feared the worst, but that notion wasn't possible, because there was no way that Michaela and Sully's daughter would break the rules of society so badly. He turned his back to the street as the girl walk past him, not wanting her to catch him staring, when she past him he resumed his position of watching her. Hank frowned, he knew what he was thinking wasn't possible, but he couldn't shake it out of his head, his uneasiness was growing and he didn't know what to do about it.

* * *

"MILLIE!"

Sully looked up from his work at the frantic shout. Peering through the window of what was Michaela's old clinic he observed Widow Tattler stood in the centre of the street by her horse with a terrified look on her face.

"MILLIE!" the woman screamed again.

Sully quickly rose and headed out the door, slinging his buck skin jacket across on to protect him from the drizzle that had started to fall from the grey sky.

"Amanda?" Sully asked approaching the woman. The Tattler's had lived in Colorado Springs as long as he had, the elderly couple taking in their infant granddaughter when her parents had died. Now that Amanda's husband had died not some 6 months ago it was just her and little Millie alone at the farm.

"Sully" Amanda grabbed at him "Have you seen Millie, she hasn't come back from school?"

"She's probably at a friend's house" Sully soothed the anxious older woman.

Amanda shook her head frantically "No, she was on her way home. I always ride to meet her half way, the horse was walking down the road on its own, I didn't see her on the road on my way in, she couldn't have fallen"

Sully placed a comforting arm around the woman, signalling to Jake who had come out of the Gold Nugget to see what the commotion was about. "I'm sure she just went into the woods to pick something and the horse wandered off." He turned to the Jake who had joined them in the street "Jake can you get word around to keep an eye out for Millie Tattler, her horse was wandering but there was no sign of her. I'm going to help Amanda look for her" Sully took a step away from Amanda and lowered his voice "Drop in the hospital too, let Michaela know to stay on a bit, just in case"

With that Sully turned back to the older woman and helped her to mount her horse before rushing to his own horse and leaping on. Nodding to Jake, Sully kicked his horse into motion and rode out of town.

"Sully off on another quest?" Hank exited the Gold Nugget and took a long drag from his cigar "What's it this time?"

"Tattler girl gone missing" Jake murmured heading towards the store in order to begin spreading the word "horse was wandering down the road without her"

Hank raised his eyebrow and stared into the dust cloud that remained in Sully's wake "easy Hank" he told himself taking a long reassuring drag on his cigar "Just coincidence" he reassured himself, trying to shake his growing uneasiness.

* * *

Sully and Amanda had barely ridden 10 minutes along the track to the Tattler's farm before he spotted the girl lying in the road, he frowned, Amanda had told him she had not seen the girl on the road on the way into town, yet there was no way she could have missed her, as the girl was in the centre of the dirt track. Sully eased his horse into a canter and approached the girl rapidly, pulling to a stop and leaping from his horse a few paces away from her prone body. It certainly looked as though she had been thrown from her horse with the way the body was positioned her limbs at awkward angles her face in the dirt. Gently Sully turned the little girl's body over, she was breathing, just, but beyond a dislocated shoulder and a nasty bump to the head Sully could not see any external injuries; he just hoped that she wasn't too badly damaged internally. Either way he would have to get the girl back to Michaela, so that she could take care of her properly. Taking the girl into his arms he lifted her and made to place her on his horse so he could take her back to town. As he did, he turned taking in Amanda's ashen face.

"She'll be Ok; Dr Mike will sort her out"

The girl's grandmother took a moment to respond her eyes fixed on the livid wound on the young girl's head "She wasn't there when I rode in" she whispered her voice tinged with confusion. "I would have seen her. How did she get there?"

"We don't know what happened, it could be anything," Sully mounted his horse gently holding Millie so not to exacerbate her injuries "let's get her back to town"

* * *

Harrison rushed down the alley between a boarding house and a storehouse; he needed to get up to the dorm room in the hospital to get a new shirt without being seen. The angel he had just soared with had bled more than he anticipated when he struck her, and in his shock of the blood splatter her had tripped and torn his shirt. The garment was now a sure sign of what had happened and would mean his detection for sure. Carefully, he poked his head round the corner, hoping that his route would be clear and he could get back to the hospital, where the staff would be too busy to question the state of his shirt. He cursed under his breath. His way was blocked by the tall saloon owner marching his way to the hospital. Annoyed Harrison retreated down the alley. He would have to find another way of finding a new shirt, another way to keep his preference a secret.

* * *

Hank pushed through the door of the hospital, it had been a while since he had been inside the building and it took him a moment to figure out where he needed to go. Quickly he marched in the direction that he thought Michaela's office was.

"Mr Lawson" A nurse caught him, blocking his way "How can I help? Please come over to triage"

Hank shook his head "Don't want Doctoring, I want to see Dr Mike" The nurse opened her mouth to protest but Hank held his hand up silence her "Michaela!" he called scanning the corridor for her door. He was nervous and the rambling churning thoughts he was having were making him feel ill. He breathed a sigh of relief as Michaela exited from her room.

"Hank?" Michaela looked anxiously at the tall man; it was rare for him to be in the hospital "Are you all right?"

Hank took a step toward her and looked down his long hair falling to the side of his face so that only Michaela could see it "I want to talk to you about Katie" he whispered in a low voice.

Katie?" Michaela stared up at him surprised, unsure what Hank could possibly want to talk with in relation to her daughter. As she opened her mouth to question him the door of the hospital bust open and Sully ran in carrying Millie. "What happened?" Michaela asked rushing forward to assess the condition of the girl.

"She fell from her horse, Nasty cut on her head and looks like her shoulders dislocated" Sully explained, placing the girl on the triage table.

"Just like Katie" Hank whispered unmoving from his previous position his face paling as all the coincidences slotted into a picture of horror in his mind.

"What?" Sully turned to him a frown on his face.

"She's got the same injuries as Katie" Hank clarified his face ashen. "Got the same way"

"Don't be stupid" Sully dismissed him, folding his arms.

"Sully it's the same, busted shoulder cut on the head, from falling off a horse" Hank's voice rose with anger "Don't you think that's strange"

"It's coincident, people fall off their horses all the time." Sully reasoned, not accepting the case that Hank was laying out in front of him.

"It's not coincidence" Hank walked towards Sully eyeing him up "You just don't want to see it; you don't want it to be the same because you don't want it to mean what it means"

"And what does it mean?" Sully tensed, his body squaring up for a fight, his cheeks reddening with anger.

"What if it means someone is doing this. What if someone did it to them, you can't deny it Sully, that kid is hurt in the exact same way as Katie, read Fischer's notes, ask Dorothy if you don't believe me"

The two men turned at the sound of a shocked gasp from Michaela. She was stood her hands trembling over an area of the young girl's dress that she had examined beneath due to a tear in the fabric.

"Michaela" Sully moved toward his wife with concern "What is it?"

Michaela swallowed a few times, trying to maintain her composure, she had seen this type of injury before, but never in anyone as young as Millie. Finally she found her voice the words coming out in as a thin and cracked noise. "She's been assaulted, she's been assaulted by a man"


	6. Chapter 5

_I've upgraded the story to an M I've just finished writing it (well it's reached were I planned it to end,) and reading it back I think that it's the most appropriate rating. This next chapter has alot of angst in it, someone dies and alot of people get hurt physically and emotionally.  
_

_Thanks for reading_

* * *

Chapter 5

Hank stared at Michaela as if she had just spoken in another language, her words sinking into him like knives. He felt physically sick, tangy bile rising to his throat. His ears seemed to close off and he barely registered that Sully had had to step forward to catch the young girl's grandmother as she fell in a dead faint or that Michaela had resumed her treatment of the girl. In a daze he walked from the hospital. His reaction surprised him, especially considering his profession, but he had never knowingly employed an underage girl and even if he had it had been of their own choice. It had happened to Katie he knew it, and the more the idea raced round his head the more likely it seemed especially considering his observations earlier. Hank's mind struggling to cope with the disgusting, wrong and perverted actions taken against the two young girls, two young children. He hardly realised he had reached his establishment until bewildered he sank to the steps. He didn't know how to proceed, if he was right, then it was so damaging for Katie and how do you even go about explaining it to her or her stubborn parents especially considering the altercation he had almost just had with Sully.

"Hank?"he looked up as Dorothy spoke gently to him, her once flame red curls cascading round her face like foam from a waterfall she held her hand up to shield her face from the rain "Are you alright? You look like you seen a ghost"

Hank shook his head, and automatically tried to take a drag from the cigar that was normally in his hand.

Dorothy watched Hank with concern as he tried to smoke his empty hand. "Hank, are you alright? Should I get Michaela?"

Hank shook his head again, fixing Dorothy a stare through watery eyes "The Tattler kid, she's been raped"

Dorothy gasped in shock, her hand coming up to her mouth in horror. "Oh my... but she's so young, who could have done such a thing" she turned and rushed towards the store, leaving Hank alone to dwell in his fractious horrified mind.

* * *

"Loren! Loren!" Dorothy called as she rushed into the store; she froze as she saw the solitary customer and the state of his appearance. Dorothy stifled a scream as she took in the torn and blood stained shirt, in her mind, considering what she had just heard, there was one viable explanation. She stared at the man who she recognised as the porter from the hospital, and forced herself to smile.

"Patient ripped my shirt" the man explained casually.

Dorothy nodded in pretend understanding "The shirts are over there" When the man's back was turned she very quietly closed the front door of the store and locked it.

"You losing your mind woman" Loren called as he ambled down the stairs from the first floor "We still got ..." he stopped as Dorothy violently shook her head "Dorothy?" He stepped closer to her his tone lightening "Dorothy why have you closed the door, we still got a customer" he asked her gently.

Dorothy cast a horrified look in the direction of Harrison and beckoned Loren towards her. She leant forward her lips only an inch away from Loren's ear, so that to the casual observer it looked as if she was kissing him. "Don't say anything. The Tattler's granddaughter was violated. Look at his shirt Loren, look at it" she released him from her tight grip.

Loren rotated his head and gave the man a long hard stare. He straightened up and very slowly as to not alert Harrison to his action walked around the counter. Reaching below the counter he pulled out a battered metal box. It had been a long time since he had had reason to open the box and as he did the thick layer of dust fell on to the counter. He lifted the pistol out of its protective casing and began filling the six slots with bullets. As he did so he became aware of movement from the far end of the store. Harrison had turned; his dark eyes squinted as he took in Loren's actions. Fear gripped Loren as the man held his gaze.

"What are you doing?" Harrison hissed at him.

"What happened to your shirt?" Loren countered; slowly he raised the gun, pointing it at Harrison. "Answer the question"

"I told her, a patient ripped it"

"Don't believe you" Loren broke his gaze momentarily to glance at Dorothy who had let a gasp of shock at what was occurring in front of her, she was leant against the door, her hand in front of her mouth. The shift in Loren's gaze gave Harrison the opportunity he needed, rushing forward he seized a knife from the display and rushed at Dorothy.

* * *

Katie paused from her filing to listen to the commotion that was going on outside the office, she wasn't sure as to what was happening, but her mother had told her to stay in the office when Hank had first called for her, so she would remain put. She was almost finished with her filing and after that she was hopeful that perhaps whatever it was that was causing the flurry of activity would have quietened so she could go home with her mother and father.

Katie sighed and picked up the next sheet of paper to be filed; she glanced at the name and made to reach for the appropriate file when other words on the page caught her attention. She stared at the triage nurse's neat handwriting

_Mrs Holler presented with nausea, dizziness, fatigue, increase in size to her breasts and a cessation of her monthlies._

Katie reread the sentence, before taking in her mother's diagnosis

_Confirmed pregnancy, approximately 8 weeks gestation_

The rest of her mother's words seemed to slide of the page as Katie's mind began to real in shock. The page fell from her hand and she staggered backwards hitting the desk softly. Mrs Heller's symptoms had been what she had suffering for the past couple of weeks, symptoms she had put down as growing up, the growing pains that everyone complained about. She brought her hand to her stomach, and felt it, the fat little belly that she hated since its appearance a few weeks ago. Bile rose in her throat, the flesh wasn't soft like fat, it was firm and then there were the strange sensations she'd had been feeling the last week or so, a strange jerky sensation.

Quickly Katie made her way to the bookcase and pulled the volume that dealt with obstetrics from the shelf. She turned page over page, each one highlighting and confirming something she had been experiencing over the past few months, confirming what she didn't want to be true.

But how could it be true? It wasn't possible, she hadn't been with a man, how could this, have happened? She vomited releasing the contents of her stomach onto her mother's floor. Her mind reached back to the time of her accident and the pain she had felt between her legs. The pain that Dorothy had assured her was pain from her monthlies, something that she had not thought to question. she'd had no reason to question. Katie retched again, but nothing came up, she had nothing left to throw up, she had eaten so little the past few day in an attempt to lose weight. Someone had done this to her, and she didn't know who, she couldn't remember anything. Tears pouring down her face she ran from her mother's office, out from the hospital and onto the street, she didn't know where she was going or what she was doing.

* * *

Hank looked up as he heard the sound of someone sobbing. He had until that moment remained stationary on the steps of the Gold Nugget, not caring that he was getting wet as the drizzle passed into steady rain. He watched alarmed as Katie rushed to her horse which was tethered in front of the old clinic. Her face was contorted into an expression of complete despair and despite the rain he could see the tears pouring down her face.

"Katie?" Hank called to her pulling himself to his feet.

She looked at him startled, as she pulled herself onto the horse "I don't want it"

Hank watched as she kicked her horse into a gallop. Quickly he rushed to his horse, She'd figured it out, he knew, her reaction proved it. He turned his horse, guiding it to follow Katie, as he did a gunshot seemed to echo around the town. Hank's head jerked towards the store, the direction from the which it had came, but he didn't stop, instead kicking his heels into the horses flanks and taking off after the distraught girl.

* * *

Loren raised the gun to fire again. The warning shot he had fired just over Harrison's head had done nothing to stop the man and he continued to race at Dorothy. The woman turned fumbling to undo the lock on the door so that she could escape but in her panic her hands couldn't work properly.

Loren fired again, his bullet missing its target and hitting one of the displays. "Dor'thy move" he bellowed moving as fast as he could stop Harrison's attack. But the younger man was faster and reached Dorothy first, without hesitation he grabbed her and plunged the knife into her, over and over. Dorothy barely had time to scream as Harrison's attack became frenzied. Loren reached and grabbed the blade of the knife as Harrison raised it over his head to strike her again. The blade sliced into Loren's fingers, his own blood mixing with the stain of Dorothy's blood on the silver surface. Loren tried to pull the knife from Harrison's hand, trying to stop the man from causing anymore damage to Dorothy. Harrison released Dorothy, letting her drop to the floor like a stone against the door. The hospital porter turned his focus onto Loren; quickly he knocked the gun from the older man's grip and pulled the knife from Loren's ruined hand. He raised his arm to strike the blade into Loren, but Loren reacted, lashing his leg out and catching Harrison in the stomach. In that instant Harrison dropped the knife and rather than stopping to retrieve it from the floor he rushed at the old shop keeper. Loren was forced back into his table by the full weight of the charging man. He stumbled and fell, falling heavily onto his hip. Letting out a cry of pain the old man tried to defend himself, struggling as he was pinned to the floor by the weight of the despicable man on top of him.

* * *

Harrison's fists moved at a rapid pace, smashed repeatedly into the old man's skull. A bullet burst through the window and Harrison looked up to see the barber pointing the gun at him. He scrambled off of Loren and rushed to gather his knife. The barber followed him outside, his eyes trained on the man, glowing with anger, but he couldn't get in, the door was blocked by Dorothy's ailing body. Harrison rushed for the back of the store, out of the line of fire, leaving the carnage behind him.

Jake forced all his weight against the door but it would not budge, he could see Dorothy's blood soaked arm indicating to him that she had fallen against the door. Other men had joined him, drawn by the sounds of gun fire and the anguished grunts that Jake was emitting as he tried to force his way into the store.

"Here" Jake was pushed away from the door by Robert E as the man hurriedly tied rope around the door handles. "Get back Jake" The knots tied he threw the rope to another man who sat on a horse. "Pull it open" Robert E ordered, pushing Jake back so he would not get hurt. The doors to the store were pulled from the frame and those gathered rushed in to help, Robert E bellowing orders.

Just as Jake made to enter the store he saw Harrison, who had evidently managed to get out of the back of the store. Harrison grabbed one of the horses that had been abandoned by the men's haste to get in the store and kicked it into action.

"Hey" Jake screamed leaping onto his horse and starting after Harrison.

Robert E stared after the departing men "You lot get after him" He staggered to his feet Loren's body in his arms and began stumbling toward the hospital.

As Robert E staggered through the hospital doors he let out a strangled yell "DR MIKE!"

Michaela exited the recovery room in a flash, her face paled as she saw the state of Loren in Robert E's strong arms. She rushed to them calling for Sully and Simon to help her. Robert E placed Loren on the triage bed and took a trembling breath. "What happened?" Michaela asked pressing her hand against Loren's bleeding head her other taking his gushing hand and studying it.

"Harrison attacked them in the store" Robert E said gently, his eyes fixed on Loren's swollen misshapen head.

"Them? Is Dorothy alright? Is someone bringing her over?" Michaela asked glancing towards the door to see if anyone else was approaching

Robert E shook his head sadly "No Dr Mike, there ain't anything you can do for her. He killed her"

* * *

Hank forced his horse off the road following Katie as she guided her horse to canter into the woods. He did not know where she was going but he knew he had to stop her. Luckily for him his horse which was larger than Katie's was closing the distance with every stride. Finally he drew alongside her, taking a wild grasp, he seized hold of her reigns and pulled on them to try and slow her down. The horses skidded to a stop on the soft mud, Katie slithered from her horse and broke into a run, heading up the gently slope that they had been ascending. Hank took after her, his long legs covering twice as much ground as her short ones could take in each step.

"KATIE, STOP" Hank called reaching to grab her but she ducked out of his way "LET ME HELP YOU"

Katie stopped her blonde hair sticking to her face as the rain fell down from the sky "Help me! You can't help me!" she screamed at him

Hank grabbed her holding her arms firmly she couldn't escape, no matter how much she struggled "I know Katie. I know you're pregnant" Katie stopped struggling and sagged towards the ground, sobbing. Hank cradled her gently letting her sob into his chest. Soothingly Hank stroked her wet hair "I know someone, in Denver, she can make it go away" Katie pulled her head away from his chest and stared at him with her tear filled eyes "Take the girls there sometimes. I can take you there. Have it all fixed by tomorrow night"

"You can make it go away?" Katie gasped between her sobs.

Hank nodded eagerly at her, surprised that he had come up with the suggestion "If we leave now, reckon we can get the last train" He lifted her to her feet gently "If you want, I'll take you"

* * *

Jake yelled as his horse lurched forward. The pair of them fell heavily in the mud, his large brown horse landing onto his leg. Jake howled in agony as the horse writhed, crushing his left leg beneath its enormous weight.

"Shoulda looked where you were goin" Harrison spoke as he moved out from the tree line, dismantling the trap he had laid out, which had caused Jake and his horse to fall.

Jake stifled a cry of pain and stared at the man "You're going to pay for what you've done"

"Am I? Who's going to make me pay? You?" Harrison moved to crouch near Jake, smirking at him. "You can't even get up"

"You're sick" Jake spat at him.

"I just know what I like" Harrison muttered, pulling out the blood stained knife and dragging the sharp edge along the fallen animal's flank making it writhe in pain in turn causing more pain for Jake. "I don't like to be with something that is spoiled; only way you know is if you get them while their young. They're so tender" he smirked "I like what I like and I do it nicely, I make sure they don't remember, they don't got the memories but I do" Jake disentangled his right leg from the stirrup and swung it at Harrison. He didn't meet his mark instead Harrison grabbed Jake's leg. With a malevolent grin Harrison plunged the knife into Jake's leg slicing the tendons making the lower leg go flaccid. Jake screamed in pain. The sound of approaching horses filled the air and Harrison looked up concerned. "Better get going, but just to be sure you can't follow me" he leant forward reaching round to Jake's back. With one swift movement he plunged the knife into Jake's spine. Leaving the knife in situ the man got to his feet and quickly mounted his horse, leaving the chaos he had caused behind.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The seven o'clock train to Denver was delayed by the heavy rain. Hank and Katie sat side by side, his jacket pulled tight around her as the wind blew the heavy rain under the station's roof. The station was empty, and no one had bothered them in the time they had sat waiting in silence.

"What happens?" Katie broke the silence, her voice shaking from her sobbing fit earlier in the woods.

Hank took a drag from his half smoked cigar and exhaled slowly shrugging his shoulders "I Don't ask, I pay the money and when they come out, problem solved"

"It's an abortion" Katie whispered for the first time putting the clinical name to the help that Hank was giving her. The first time considering what it would entail.

"Guess so" Hank whispered back, darting his eyes around the station to ensure that no one had approached them to overhear their conversation.

"But those are illegal"

"You don't need to worry about that" Hank glanced at the young girl, concern now crawling across her face that had already been washed with fear and despair "If it makes you feel any better your parents done their fair share of illegal in their time"

Katie took his words in for a few moments, casting her mind back to all the times that her parents had stood in front of the law. "But they only ever did it for good, when they had a proper reason"

"You don't got a proper reason?" Hank stared down at Katie's stomach. He took a deep breath and threw his cigar out into the rain. His arms now free he turned the young girl to face him his blue eyes staring intently into her own, his long fingers holding tightly onto her slender shoulders. "What you're going to do. It's not wrong. That ain't something you've made with someone you love. It's not made with someone you know, who cares about you. It was put in you by a monster. You don't got to suffer because of what someone done to you" he blinked back tears, tears which he never would have suffered from, but the whole situation, was too much and he wasn't even the one who was experiencing the brunt of it. Katie dissolved into tears again, her shoulders shaking violently as her body was wracked with anguish. Hank took her into his arms lightly kissing the top of her head to sooth her the best he could.

* * *

"I got your glasses" Sully whispered pushing his head round the door of the recovery room "How's he doing?" he asked moving into the room and staring at the bruised and battered Loren. The old man looked dreadful his face purple and swollen, his lips broken, his hand heavily bandaged.

"A couple of cracked ribs and a severe concussion along with some severe bruising" her voice was shaky "I don't know about his hand, how much damage to the tendons, if he'll be able to have use of it again. We'll have to wait for him to wake up"

"How about you, are you OK?"Sully took in her puffy tear stained eyes and put his arm protectively around her, he hated to see her like this, hated knowing that there was nothing he could do to make her anguish go away.

"I'll be fine" she hugged Sully tightly for a few moments, as if her life depended on it "Did you speak to Katie about Dorothy?"

"No" Sully kissed the top of her head

"I thought you went to my office?" Michaela looked up at Sully shook his head

"Your door was open, no one was in there. Your glasses were on the table outside"

"She wasn't in there?"

"Nope"

Michaela frowned, shaking her head with tiredness, she made her way out of the recovery room Sully close behind her. The hospital was still buzzing, the members of staff rushing about as they dealt with not only their normal caseload but also the premature infant, Millie, her grandmother and Loren. "Evelyn" Michaela called to one of the nurses "Have you seen Katie?"

"No sorry Dr Mike, I've been looking after the baby all day. Maybe Jenny or Claire have seen her they've been doing triage shifts today"

Michaela gave an awkward nod of thanks to the nurse and headed towards the reception area. Her pace was rapid, her heels clattering loudly on the wooden floor. Quickly she made her way to the triage area where the youngest of the hospital's nurses sat reading a medical textbook.

"Jenny have you seen Katie?"

"She's not back?" the young nurse looked up from the book with mild surprise.

"Back?" Sully queried placing a reassuring hand on Michaela's forearm as he saw her shoulders and jaw tense with concern.

"She left before they brought Mr Bray in. I thought she went to get something to eat"

Michaela pivoted on the spot and rushed for the door, appalled that Katie had been outside at the time of the incident at the store, which meant she would now certainly know about Dorothy's death. Sully rushed after her, his long legs easily matching the rapid pace of her shorter ones.  
"Michaela slow down" quickly he divested his coat and threw it over Michaela's shoulders, shielding her thin blouse from the heavy rain. "Grace probably kept hold o' her while the men are handling the cleanup" He looked down one of the main roads into town, the sound of horses charging in, a wagon and a platoon of townsfolk steaming into town at great speed "Looks like they're heading for the hospital" he called after Michaela.

"Simon can deal with it" Michaela dismissed the further commotion as she rushed through the empty cafe and towards Grace and Robert E's property. Sully paused and watched as the group of men pulled to a halt outside the hospital. His eyes widened as he saw them pull a broken and bleeding body out of a wagon, Jake's body.

"MICHAELA!" Sully called after his fleeing wife, he knew she would be needed and he raced after her. "You need to get back to the hospital"

She had stopped but she was not looking in the direction of the hospital, her two tone eyes were focussed up the street staring at the train station, clouded with confusion. Sully followed her gaze, to where Katie sat with Hank.

* * *

"HANK" Sully bellowed rushing through the dark street to the train station, Michaela only a few steps behind him. "Get off her" He wrenched Katie from Hank's grip pushing her towards Michaela "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to help" Hank bleated standing up, he could see the dangerous glint in the mountain man's eyes "Trying to help your kid"

"She don't need your help" Sully bellowed, his dark anger was surfacing and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Pa stop it!" Katie cried tears flowing down her face, struggling from her mother's grip.

"Katie what has he been telling you?" Michaela asked her daughter, her finger's tightening around Katie's shoulders as her daughter struggled and Michaela studied her child's appearance.

"You been scaring her and I'll" Sully clenched his hand, he so badly wanted what Hank had said earlier at the hospital to be false but the more he thought about what had happened to Millie and the similarities to Katie's accident the harder it was to deny his words.

"I ain't told her that," Hank rose his arm in defence; quickly he swung out a fist at Sully catching the mountain man off guard.

"Sully!" Michaela released Katie and took a step towards her husband as he fell back to the floor. In an instance Sully was on his feet and he ploughed into Hank with all the force his misdirected anger could bring.

"STOP IT" Katie screamed "Just stop it" her screams were lost in the whistle of the approaching train and she turned running away from the fighting men.

"Katie!" Michaela called rushing after her fleeing daughter; she stumbled across the tracks, narrowly missing being struck by the approaching train as it slid into the station. Michaela ran as fast as her rain soaked dress would allow her, rushing after Katie as her daughter ran down the drenched streets.

Katie reached the creek, its contents flowing fast and high, she dropped to her knees and slid her way to the crumbling bank. In her distraught mind it was the only way. She reached her feet out to the water, letting it lick her shoes and dress pulling her as it raced along. She braced herself and began to push off with her hands her legs slipping further into the racing torrent.

Michaela fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her daughter pulling her back from the edge of the thundering creek. Her mind was raging like the turbulent water, not able to comprehend why her daughter was acting in such a way, why she would be trying to do something so dangerous, or why she was sobbing so hard. She pulled Katie close to her, Katie's back pulled tight against her own torso, clinging to her little girl with determination as they sat on the rain soaked ground "Katie" she managed to whisper, gently rocking her distraught daughter backwards and forwards trying to sooth her and take away the pain that she did not understand.

"I don't want it, I don't want it" Katie sobbed her exhausted body collapsing within the warm and comforting embrace of her mother's arms. "I don't want it mommy make it got away"

"Make what go away, darling" Michaela tensed as Katie let out a scream of complete agony, a sound that she had never heard come out of someone so young, that she never thought she would hear come out from her daughter. She leant her head in close to Katie's desperately trying to hear what her daughter had started to mumble above the sound of the raging creaking and pounding rain. Her head retracted like she had been shot and she stared down at her daughter's agonised body "baby?"

* * *

Sully walked slowly into the bedroom, he felt like he was walking though fog, everything unfamiliar and strange, his whole world covered in a thick layer of anger, fear, confusion and horror. If he had been asked this morning to imagine the worst thing that could happen he would never have expected anything as terrible as what was occurring, and to think the person who had done this to his little girl had been working in the hospital as if nothing had happened, someone who he had laughed and joked with, someone who's hand he had shook and all the while that animal had done this to his baby girl. These thoughts made him feel physically sick knowing that while Katie had been suffering in silence that monster had been in their lives, and now he had changed their lives forever. That monster had robbed Dorothy of her life, injured Loren and Jake beyond compare and worst of all had robbed Katie of her youth and innocence, condemned her to a life he did not want to even consider.

The scene on the bed made him feel like his heart would break. Katie lay in the centre of the bed asleep, her body completely exhausted by all that she had had to assimilate today. Her blonde head still damp from the rain, was tucked into the crook of Michaela's arm. Michaela was sat still her eyes fixed unmoving and trancelike on her daughter. She had pulled Katie's white nightgown tight across Katie's stomach and her left hand was tracing the slope of her young daughter's abdomen, testing it as if trying to prove that the nightmare was fake.

"Judging from the date of her accident I believe she is in her 19th week of gestation, which would make her due in August" Michaela's voice was hard and clinical, Sully knew she was only trying to deal with the facts so that she did not have to face the reality of what had happened to their young daughter.

Sully stared down at them his eyes fixed on Michaela's roving hand "I don't get how...she hadn't..." he dropped his head in defeat.

Michaela sighed "She was obviously in her first cycle, it is possible for pregnancy to occur before the first bleed" her response sounded forced, like she was quoting from a textbook.

"Possible" Sully snorted

"Well obviously it possible" her hand retracted from Katie's abdomen, her head sagging "How did I not see it Sully?" Michaela's voice broke with anguish "How did I not see what was happening to my little girl?"

Sully knelt down beside the bed, his eyes filling with tears as he gently brushed drying tears from Michaela's soft cheeks "Because you weren't looking for it, because you couldn't imagine it"

Michaela's face crumpled and her eyes erupted with hot angry tears "How could someone do this to her?"

Sully reached forward pulling his wife into his arms "I have no answer to that Michaela, I just..." Sully broke off his mind for once not able to find the words to sooth his wife.

"She's just a child" Michaela sobbed into his shoulder "She's so young. Oh Sully, she's just a baby, our baby, she can't be having a baby of her own"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sully looked up from his wood chopping as he heard the door of the homestead close. Katie stood on the porch looking down at him. Sully had never thought the sight of his daughter would repulse him but each day she did. In the three weeks since they had discovered the terrible truth, Katie's pregnancy had blossomed, not least because Michaela was ensuring that Katie was actually eating the food that she prepared as opposed to pushing it around the plate as Katie had been doing the weeks prior to the discovery. Every day Sully thought of another clue that could have alerted him to the awful predicament they found themselves in, like the time he found Katie vomiting, something which they had both dismissed as Michaela's poor cooking skills, or how Katie had seemed so tired all the time, which he had just attributed to her growing up and reaching the awkward teen years.

"Careful!" he called as Katie started to climb down the porch steps. Katie's growth had resulted in her growing out of all her own clothes with the exception of her nightgowns. Sully feared that she would be like Michaela and carry large, something which he dreaded as much as he enjoyed watching Michaela grow. The lack of clothing that fitted had led Michaela to dig out the two dresses she had had made when expecting Katie. Dresses she had stored just in case they were blessed with another baby, dresses she had almost forgotten about until she had watched her daughter struggle to bring the two sides of her blouses and skirts together. The trouble was that while the Michaela's old dresses were accommodating around the middle they were far too long for Katie even though Michaela was fairly short herself. Worried that his daughter would trip on the hem of the pink dress Sully made his way the steps just in case he would have to catch her.

"Can we go into town?" Katie asked reaching the bottom of the steps and looking up at him hopefully.

"No honey we can't"

"But Ma went" Katie pointed out "and I want to see Joy"

Sully sighed "Your Ma had to organise things at the hospital" He took another deep breath "You can't go see Joy Katie"

"Why not?" Katie whined, she was bored of being stuck in the house. Sully paused for a moment trying to find the right words to explain the situation to his daughter. "It's because people shouldn't see me isn't it?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart"

Sully made to reach for her to pull her into a hug, Katie was fairly unpredictable at the moment one minute shouting the next minute crying and Sully had the feeling that a crying spell was on its way "It's not fair" Katie bleated, throwing her arms up in annoyance. "I can't ride Star. I can't see Joy. I can't go to school. I can't wear my own clothes. I can't bend in the middle"

Sully raised his eyebrows at the last complaint she gave. "Bend in the middle?"

Katie let out a huge dramatic sigh "I used to be able to bend over here" she pointed at where her waist used to be "How much longer have I got to be like this?"

"Your Ma reckons it will be over by early August" Sully told her quietly.

"August, But that's ages away" Katie's face crumpled "It's not fair" with that she turned and stomped up the stairs. Sully slumped onto the steps as she slammed the door. Any other time he would have chastised her for acting childishly, but now she had every right. He just wished he could do the same.

* * *

Hank opened the door to Michaela's office even though he had garnered no response from his persistent knocking.

"I said I did not want to be disturbed" Michaela spat harshly without looking up from her books.

"I didn't come to disturb you, just came to give you this" Hank muttered placing a package on her book laden desk. Michaela looked up at him surprised. Hank stifled a gasp, Michaela looked terrible, not that he was very surprised given the situation but he'd just never given thought to the normally stunning woman looking so awful, her skin pale and grey her normally sparkling eyes, dull. "It's for Katie" Hank whispered turning to leave.

"What is it?" she asked softly, cautiously staring at the brown paper wrapped parcel.

"Got a couple of dresses made for her when I was in Denver, figured she would need them, considering what you looked like. The woman said they should minimise" he gulped and looked down at his feet "it" he shuffled awkwardly "Well I'm gonna go get Loren, Fischer's letting him go" he turned to leave.

Calling him back Michaela rose and walked slowly towards him "Thank you Hank"

"It's no bother"

"We know you were only trying to help" Michaela offered her hand to Hank, a small gesture but it was all she could muster in her present frame of mind.

Hank took her outstretched hand, holding it gently in his bony fingers. "Least I could do, seeing as I wasn't there to help when it mattered" he gulped realising what he had just said to Michaela, "Sorry"

"It's not your fault" Michaela pulled her hand out of his grip and crossed back to her desk.

Hank glanced at the texts she had out on her desk, his rudimentary grasp of the written language serving him enough to make out the contents "You trying to figure out if it's going to cause her any problems because of her age?"

Michaela nodded her head "My texts on the subject don't deal with this type of pregnancy."

Hank exhaled sharply "Maybe you should speak to nuns"

"Nuns?"

Hank nodded slowly "They run those Sisters of mercy places for this type of thing"

Michaela's eyes flared "Katie will not be going to..."

Hank held his hand up to stop the beginning of her rant "I know, but they could help." Hank ran his hand through his long hair and shrugged trying to adopt his usual laconic manner for when he exited the room "I better go get the old man before he complains Fischer's ear off"

Michaela nodded thankfully at him "Thank you for being so thoughtful, I'm sure she will love the dresses"

Hank shrugged again "Like I said least I could do, and if Sully wants to go a few rounds"

"Sully doesn't consume liquor"

"I wasn't talking about drinkin'" Hank reached for the door handle "I know how I feel and she ain't my kid. I don't mind acting as the punching bag. Same goes for you"

He opened the door and frowned, Simon Fischer stood eagerly at the door a large file in his hand "Dr Mike" he pushed past Hank "I asked the nurses to come and get me when you were taking visitors"

Michaela sank wearily against her desk "I'm not Simon"

Simon frowned, his eyes darting to Hank who stood motionless at the door "I need to consult with you over Mr Slicker's case"

"I'm not on duty Simon" Michaela whispered tiredly.

Simon persisted opening the file "It's just, his swelling has gone down and there doesn't appear to be any damage to his spinal cord but he is still having trouble moving his left leg or right thigh, there is little hope of his right leg below the knee but..."

Hank watched as Michaela's shoulders sagged; as much as he wanted his longest friend to get better he knew that Michaela was in no way capable of dealing with anything other than her daughter at the present time. Slowly he walked forward and removed the file from Simon's hands "Leave Dr Mike alone. You want someone to consult with than contact a Doctor in Denver"

"But"

"Now Fischer" Hank growled he held his arm out indicating for the other doctor to leave. Reluctantly the young doctor walked out of the room.

"Thank you" Michaela spoke in a barely audible whisper.

"No problem" Hank placed the file on her desk "You should go home" carefully he closed her books straightening her desk and making the decision for her "You need to take care o' yourself. Can't take care of Katie if you carry on like this"

* * *

Michaela couldn't help but smile at Katie as she examined herself in the mirror. The dresses that Hank had purchased for Katie were beautiful and did serve to minimise the appearance of the size of her abdomen, just as he had promised.

"Why'd he get them for me?" Katie asked smiling at her reflection as she modelled the dress.

Michaela sighed, Hank had always puzzled her with his kind nature which he kept so well hidden most of the time but she was always thankful of it in times of need "He wanted to do something nice for you"

"It's pretty, the all are" Katie turned in the mirror again.

"You're pretty too" Michaela held out her hand for Katie to join her on the bed.

"I was pretty" Katie looked down at her torso and sighed. "How big will I get?" she tilted her head trying to imagine what she would look like in a few months.

"Well, it depends, all woman are different" Michaela told her gently, she picked up one of the new dresses and held it out, admiring Hank's surprisingly good taste and the seamstresses obvious talent in the design and construction of the dress so that could adapt with the change in body shape.

"How big did you get with me?" Michaela lowered the dress at her daughter's question, She smiled uneasily unsure of how to answer the question without alarming her daughter. Her mind wandered back to the last few months of her pregnancy and her appearance "Big" she finally answered

Katie sank onto the bed beside her mother "Did Mr Lawson get me the dresses because of what we were going to do? Because he was going to take me to get..."

"Katie" Michaela broke her off, not wanting to think of the terrible rain soaked night when they had found out about the pregnancy.

Katie slid closer to Michaela, lifting her mother's arm so she could hook it around her shoulders "I couldn't have one of those?"

"No, you couldn't" the word went unspoken.

"So what's going to happen?" Katie asked resting her head against her mother's shoulder.

"Your father and I have not really discussed the options yet" Michaela softly kissed Katie's head and wrapped her other arm around her daughter, cocooning her with love as if it would protect her from any more harm.

"Are there a lot of options?" Katie asked, glancing down at her stomach as she felt movement within her belly.

Michaela sighed "A few"

"What are they?"

Michaela gently rubbed her hand up and down Katie's arm, "There is adoption" her voice shook as she tried to remain calm "either through an orphanage or Brian and Laura have offered..."

"You told Brian about me?" Katie looked at her mother with surprise "But I thought people weren't supposed to know"

"We've told your siblings, Horace knows because he had to send the messages and ... Grace and Robert E" Michaela stifled a sob.

"I'm sorry this is happening" Katie placed her arms around her mother's neck hugging her "I'm sorry I'm ruining everything"

Michaela blinked back her tears "You're not ruining anything. You are doing very very well" she kissed Katie gently, silently cursing herself for losing her composure when she needed to remain strong for her child.

"So the baby would live in Boston?" Katie returned to her seated position on the bed.

Michaela nodded, quickly wiping her eyes "It's a possibility, Brian and Laura want more children, and as they can't have any more of their own because of Laura's illness..."

"I'd rather the baby lived with them" Katie interrupted "than went and lived with someone we don't know. Then we would know it is OK. I don't want it to get hurt, even if it did get made the wrong way, it's still made from me and I'm not bad" Michaela bit her lip to stop herself from crying. Katie's innocent logic was almost painful to her, a child's mind trying to deal with very adult and complicated issues. "Couldn't you and Pa look after the baby?"

Michaela's mouth dropped open, her daughter's question surprising her. In the late night conversations that she and Sully had have over what would happen to the infant they had not once entertained the notion of themselves raising the baby, most likely because they had naturally assumed that Katie would not want to have to face what had happened to her for the rest of her childhood.

"Ma?"

Michaela inhaled slowly and forced her mouth into a smile "we have plenty of time to decide what we'll do. Why don't you show your father your new dress" Michaela kissed Katie gently and watched as her daughter left the room. As the door closed Michaela raised her hand to her mouth, pressing it firmly against her lips in an attempt to quell the sobs that shook her body.

* * *

Sully rolled over, his arm reaching out for Michaela so he could pull her body close to his. His eyes opened as his hand slid across her empty side of the bed. His eyes acclimatised to the dark he could see that he was the only occupant. Troubled, he rose quickly from the bed and exited his room. He spotted his wife almost immediately as she stood leaning against the doorframe of Katie's room. She turned to him as she heard him approach, her eyes laden with water ready to spill across her cheeks at any moment. Wordlessly he wrapped his arms around her, accepting her form against his as she leant backwards on him. Together they took in the sight of their sleeping child, her hands resting gently on the ripening curve of her abdomen, her young face serene. Sleep, the only time she could escape from the nightmare her life had become.


	9. Chapter 8

_Thanks for everyone for reading and the review, I know it's a difficult story to read (it's difficult to write) so I really appreciate everyone taking the time to take a look at it._

Chapter 8

Katie slowly heaved herself out of bed. It was becoming harder and harder for her to move about, she couldn't just spring up like she used to. She couldn't do much like she used to. The baby inside her moved and she stared down, taking in the rippling movement visible through her tight nightgown. She sighed again. It felt so strange having something move inside her, and the movement made everything so confusing. She wanted to hate this baby, hate it because of how it was made, hate it because of how it was changing her body, but she couldn't. What she felt for the baby inside for her was a jumbled mess, but there were moments of love that she felt so clearly which made the jumbled mess inside her head get all the more jumbled.

She glanced back at her bed, toying with the idea that she should just climb back under the covers and sleep through this bad dream, however she knew she would have to get ready soon, if she didn't her mother would be in bubbling with false happiness, trying to keep her happy, while if she just got up and did things at the proper time, her mother acted normal.

Katie reached for her pale blue dress, one that Hank had made for her last month. She grunted as she struggled to pull the dress over her rounding abdomen. Realising defeat she pulled the dress back over her head and found the fastenings at the side to increase the girth. She frowned angry that she should be using the next button along, taking it to the centre button of the 5 button arrangement. The task completed she pulled the dress back over her head. It fit, but she couldn't help wondering for how long. Feeling defeated she padded out of the room barefoot and down the stairs to the lower floor of the house. Michaela stood in the kitchen, somewhat ominously surrounded by baking paraphernalia, the rest of the house empty.

'Where's Pa?" Katie asked glancing around the lower level of the house.

Michaela looked up from her baking and smiled "He's gone to check the traps'

"Oh" another reminder of things she couldn't do.

Michaela watched as Katie swayed over to one of the armchairs and slumped into it. "Katie?" she moved tentatively towards her daughter. "Sweetheart?"

"It's not fair" Katie mumbled.

Michaela sank onto the arm of the chair, and placed her arms around her daughter, her fingers gently stroking Katie's thin shoulder's trying to comfort her. "I know"

"I can't do anything" Katie threw her head backwards into the chair angrily "I hate this" she shrugged out of her mother's grip "I don't want to be fat anymore"

"You're not fat Katie" Michaela tried to soothe

"Yes I am, look" she positioned herself so that Michaela could see that she had had to move the button "It fit yesterday on the 2nd button"

"Well, in the 6th month most women experience a rapid period of growth" Michaela told her, her voice verging on the voice she used with her patients.

Katie gave her a look and pulled herself out of the chair. "Stop doing that" Michaela looked up at her puzzled, unsure at what Katie was reacting to "Stop doctoring me" Katie clarified.

"Well I am a doctor"

"No you're not, not anymore" Katie almost spat at her, her hormones raging through her like nothing she had ever felt before "You don't go to the hospital, you don't treat anyone, so you're not a doctor" Michaela frowned "All you do is stay here" Katie continued, her right hand flying wildly as her anger grew "All you do is babysit me. I don't need to be baby sat; I don't need to be watched. I'm not going to fall over, or burst or whatever it is you are a afraid of" Michaela opened her mouth to respond but Katie held her arm up, her finger raised indicating she did not want her mother to speak "No, No don't reason everything or rationalise everything. Not everything has a reason or a purpose; some things are just good and bad. Some things are very bad" her small hands came to rest on her growing abdomen and her young head sagged, tears slipping down her face "Not everything can be fixed" she took a step backwards, softly hitting the wall. Silence fell across the room, Michaela fighting her tears, unsure if Katie would accept the embrace that she so badly craved to give. After what felt like eternity Katie finally spoke, her voice small and shaking "Mommy, help me"

Michaela stood up and rushed towards Katie pulling her into her arms as tightly as she possibly could "I'm here, sweetheart"

"I feel like I'm going crazy, like I'm losing my mind" Katie whispered, Michaela struggled to answer; distracted by the movement she could feel against her slender torso from within Katie's bulging belly. "Please Ma, I need to get out of here, please ma, please"

* * *

Michaela eased the wagon to a halt and stared down the road anxiously, she was having second thoughts about what she was doing. For the life of her she couldn't even fathom why she was doing this, why her little girl's plaintive voice had been too much for her to resist, and now her worst fear was coming true. She had forgotten about the school, forgotten that it finished at 3pm and that the children would be rushing about. It was supposed to be a quick outing, just out to a lake where Katie could take a swim and ease some tension. Michaela cursed herself, with the weather so warm she hadn't even considered that the children would be heading out to cool off after a long day in the classroom.

"Cover up Katie" Michaela ordered her daughter.

"KATIE" a jubilant call sounded out and several of Katie's young friends started towards the wagon. Michaela stood up unsteadily on the wagon and turned towards the back where Katie sat. She pulled her shawl off and threw it at her daughter, giving Katie something to hide her belly with.

Before Katie had enough time to arrange the shawl properly the children were upon her, scrambling up the sides of the wagon like vultures around carrion

"Where you been?"

"You sick?"

"When are you coming back?"

Katie looked up at her mother nervous about how to answer their questions.

Before Michaela could even respond to the children's barrage of questions one of the younger boys narrowed his eyes "You're fat"

"No I'm not" Katie retorted quickly

"Yeah you are" the boy reached for the shawl, pulling at it, dislodging it from the good it was doing in hiding most of her belly, Katie gasped her eyes filling with tears staring up at her mother begging her to help.

"Come along now children" Michaela shooed them, nervously aware that their noise level was dropping.

"I know what that is" one of the smaller children screeched suddenly, "That's a baby" her small finger pointing almost accusingly at Katie's belly "Who did you get married to? Why didn't you invite us?"

"I'm, I, I" Katie mumbled shaking her head.

"Now, Come along" Michaela abruptly hit the reigns against the wagon, forcing the horse to move and dislodging some of the children. "We need to get going" she moved the wagon again and the remaining children moved back.

"Katie's a sinner" one of the children suddenly called out.

Michaela snapped the reigns again forcing the horse to turn and bring the wagon about. As the wooden vehicle slowly circled more of the children's barbed and harsh comments sounded out. Michaela did her best to close her ears off to their cruel words, and her daughter's persistent sobbing coming from the back of the wagon.

* * *

Sully slowed his horse as he approached the homestead, he quickly dismounted. His strong hands traced the wagon, left in front of the house, not even parked. Worried he jogged up the steps. Inside he found that items were strewn about the open plan living area, like they had been thrown. Katie sat still in the furthest armchair staring into the empty fire, her face red with tears long since spilled.

"Katie?" His brow creased as he took in her forlorn appearance, the way she was staring so blankly into space.

"Ma's in the barn" Katie whispered, not even raising her head to look up at him.

"Why is she in the barn?"

Katie shrugged dismissively

"Did you have an argument?" Sully asked, his eyes darting around the items on the floor,

"Ask her"

Sully puffed out his cheeks and exhaled slowly, he turned away from his daughter, knowing that with her sullen barren attitude he would get no results. He exited the house, his feet rattling down the steps.

He entered the barn, an almost mirror image of the house meeting him. Michaela sat in the straw her eyes staring blankly into space, exactly the same blank stare that Katie had been using.

"Michaela?" he asked gently, hoping that he could gain more about what was going on from his wife than he had his daughter. "Are you alright?" he got to his knees and reached forward, plucking a long piece of straw from her dress. "Michaela? Speak to me"

She broke her trance her tired, weary eyes gazing up at him and overflowing with emotion. "Oh Sully" she managed to mutter, her slender body slumping as she burst into tears. Sully took her into his arms, like he had done so many times before, his touch communicating his love for her.

The sat in the straw silence save for Michaela's sobs for what felt like hours, no words spoken, but every emotion felt; Every ounce of pain, confusion and sadness that they felt because of what was happening to Katie flowing between them. After a time Sully raised his head from Michaela's shoulder, his well trained ears picking out the sound of an approaching horse.

"There's a horse" he rose, his left knee cracking painlessly. The lack of response from Michaela pained him, in a normal situation she would have fussed over him, assessed his knee to determine the source of the noise, but she just remained still, almost as if she couldn't tell the difference between him being there and her sitting by herself.

He exited the barn quickly crossing the paddock to where Grace was dismounting from her horse. "Grace?"

"Sully" she nodded at him, "I hate to do this, but a meeting of the town council's been called, about what happened today. A lot of the parents are demanding answers, Robert E didn't really have a choice" she sighed and cast a look up at the house "Now I'll stay with Katie, make sure she gets a good meal"

Sully shook his head

"Well if she's not hungry I won't force her, but I'm sure she'll want some of my special pecan pie" Grace forced a smile.

Sully shook his head again and looked up at the house "No, I mean what happened today?"

Grace looked at him shocked "You mean you don't know! Sully everyone knows"

"Knows"

"About Katie" Grace clarified "They know about the baby"

Before Sully had a chance to respond Michaela's voice filtered across the paddock to them."It was my fault" Sully turned to face her, his face contorted with anger and incomprehension "Katie wanted to go out" Michaela whispered, leaning against the wooden wall "I forgot the children would head out to the lake. I, I..."

Sully rushed forward to her, crossing the paddock in only a few giant steps, catching her as she collapsed under the force of her emotions. "It's not your fault" he told her, gently kissing her straw littered hair. Slowly he half dragged her towards the wagon, knowing they had to go and face the town, but terrified Michaela would not withstand what was coming.

* * *

"Now hold on" Robert E struck the gavel against the table, calling the packed Church to order. The parents of the town mostly in uproar at the thought of a girl who had just turned 13 years old about to have a baby. He stared at the other council desk at the three empty seats, the meeting hadn't even started and it was spinning out of control. "You don't understand"

"We understand what a Jezebel she is" one angry father yelled "She should be sent away"

"Yeah" another parent called "The only thing that girl is fit for is working in Hank's saloon"

"Kid too good for my saloon" Hank drawled as he marched into the church, his cigar hanging listlessly from his mouth. "What's all this rubbish about?" he sat in his seat, immediately raising his foot to push the chair onto it's back two legs and holding him in a balanced position.

"What was I supposed to do?" Robert E asked him flustered "Everyone has got so..." he struggled to find the right word and instead indicated the angry crowd.

Hank flipped his chair straight, the two feet clattering to the floor loudly. "The way I see it they're just yammering coz they feel guilty either that or they want to get one up on Dr Mike and Sully"

"What's that supposed to mean?" one of the parents near the front questioned

"For doing nothing" Hank took a long drag on his cigar "All this moanin' and mankin' makes you feel better, because you want to feel better than Dr Mike for once. But let me tell you. Same thing that happened to the Tattler kid happened to Katie. Yeah you heard me. You all know what happened to her" he smiled almost triumphantly as the assembled crowd recoiled in disbelief and horror "What happened to Katie, happened when Dr Mike and Sully were away in Boston. Sully wasn't here to protect his kid. We were. Ain't her fault, ain't their fault"

"Exactly" Robert E took the falling quiet as an opportunity "Some of you rode out with us when Katie went missing. That was when it happened. Now you all know what happened to Dorothy, to Jake. That man did it to her, he raped her" the room fell deathly quiet. The silence echoed for a long time, neither Hank nor Robert E sure how to proceed now that the truth had been spoken.

"She was really...you know" one of the mother's asked not able to say the despicable word.

"Yes she was" Sully said entering the church, supporting Michaela as they slowly walked towards the table ready to hear what the town had to say.

"Oh the poor thing" the mother burst into tears and sat back down tightly gripping her two daughters close to her. Many of the others who had brought their children with them were also clutching them tightly, as if afraid that the same fate would befall them.

Robert E rose from his seat his eyes quickly darting over Michaela, fear flashing through his dark eyes at her appearance. "It ain't Katie who's at fault" he nodded at Sully "It's the town. We weren't there to protect her. We failed her, not the other way round. This is the town's burden, not just Sully and Dr Mike's and certainly not Katie"


	10. Chapter 9

_Thanks to everyone for reading and to the people who have reviewed, as with Sandi's review this is not a warm and fuzzy story and this chapter is definately in no way nice pretty or anything remotely comforting, it's a definate viewer descretion is advised chapter.__ though I am a really pleased with how the last part turned out__ I don't like it all that much I actually hate myself a bit for doing it, but it's necessary and it also marks the beginning of the end. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think_

_Kate_

Chapter 9

July broke in Colorado Springs, June had passed without incident, the weather passed into summer but it was pleasantly warm and not scorching as it had been in the previous few years and the town had yet to see any issues relating to water shortages. The quietness gave the residents of the small town time to recover from the dreadful months and all that had gone on. Things were finally returning to a state of normalcy, Loren had finally regained use of his damaged hand and was back to running the store, Jake had begun his long road back to recovery and once the news about Katie had broken, the town for the most part had been supportive and understanding. There had of course been the expected comments but for every negative remark there was three people stood there waiting to back the Sully family up.

Sully looked up from his work to cast a look at Katie. With Michaela's return to work and the news about Katie spread around town Sully had taken to bringing his daughter to work with him, instead of working from home, as it meant that should the young girl have any questions or need help, her mother was only a few moments away as opposed to the 15-20 minutes it took to get to town from the homestead. It also meant that Joy could come by after school and keep Katie company, something which Sully was sure was the only thing that got his miserable daughter through the day. Most of the time Katie sat quietly by herself, doing her work that the teacher set for her or drawing. She had withdrawn into herself the last few weeks as the birth drew closer and with only just over 3 weeks left before her predicted due date, it seemed as though she only wanted to talk to Joy. Thankfully Sully's fear that Katie would take after her mother and carry big had not come into fruition and Michaela assured him that she was in fact measuring small for her due date. Even so because to her age or maybe because he was so conscious that it should not be there, it appeared to Sully that her small body was dominated by her belly. He observed his daughter for a few moments studying her face, taking in her troubled expression as she stared down at her abdomen. "You alright Katie?"

"It's like it's trying to escape" Katie told him not looking in his direction.

Sully rose and crossed to her kneeling beside the chair she was sat in to take a better a look at what Katie was staring at. Sure enough, beneath the tight fabric of her dress he could make out the violent movement of the baby as it stretched and wriggled inside Katie. He reached out with his hand and placed it tenderly on the bump "Try and get comfy," he spoke gently to the child inside his daughter "so she can take get some rest"

Katie gasped with glee "It's stopped" she gave Sully a beaming smile "You got magic hands Pa" The sound of Horace yelling broke their tender moment "What's going on?" Katie asked curiously, straining to see out the window from her seated position.

Sully moved to the doorway and opened it. Horace had grabbed hold of the rope of the warning bell and was ringing it violently.

"Horace what is it?" Sully asked joining the growing rank of men.

"Message come through from Soda Springs, little girl got abducted. They got her back before anything could happen but he's heading this way" Horace shot an apologetic look at Sully "He's heading this way. It's him Sully, it's him, message says it's him, the one what hurt Katie"

Sully turned to look towards the old clinic. Katie stood in the doorway her eyes wide. Sully rushed towards her but he knew she had heard. "Katie" he reached for her to take her into his arms.

Katie took a step back retreating into the safety of the room, shying from her father's offered embrace. Her hand moved down to her stomach, her thin fingers tracing the rounded surface, feeling the movement inside. "You need to go"

Sully watched her awkwardly unsure how to proceed. "I should stay with you; Your Ma doesn't want you..."

Katie's fierce and emotional eyes bored into him like knives "You got to go Pa, if I need anything, Ma's only down the road" she took a deep shuddering breath "You got to stop this from happening to anyone else" Sully gulped his daughter appearing in that instant so much older than her 13 years. Katie turned away from him suddenly very interested in the territory map that adorned the office wall. Sully knew that this was her way of forcing him to go and that for him to stay would only provoke an argument, wordlessly he slipped out, to join the men who would search for the monster who had damaged his daughter so much.

* * *

Mercifully the streets of Colorado Springs were quiet. Harrison kept to the shadows, creeping his way along in the shadows so that he wouldn't be seen. He knew that if he could get to the train he could escape this region, get away from all the young girls that resided in this area, all the young girls that fuelled his urges, making him act in this irresponsible way. He was taking too many risks but it was becoming too difficult to hold out on what he needed. His choices not satisfying him like they had in the past, the pleasurable memories fading far too quickly.

Harrison froze as he caught sight of the old shop keeper as he exited the store. Harrison was surprised the old man had made it, especially considering how hard he had struck the old man in his last escape from this town. Harrison took a look at the clock on the bank, he had at least an hour till the next train was due and he could not wait out in the open. It was far too dangerous, and to sit and wait at the station was out of the question. He would need somewhere to hide. Somewhere which was close enough to the station, but empty. There was only one place that sprang to mind.

* * *

Katie sat up at the sound of glass breaking in the back of the building. She scowled, it was not the first time that someone had done this. In the past few weeks several of the meaner boys from school had thrown things at the building, the last time they had thrown a rock covered in spoiled meat, a metaphor for how they saw her. She threw open the door to the small room at the back of the room and let out a gasp of shock.

Harrison stared at Katie with surprise, he had not been expecting that anyone be in the building let alone her, he studied her for a fraction of a second, taking in the wide eyed look of terror that she viewed him with. His study travelled southwards and his mouth dropped open, shocked beyond words to see her belly stretched with child. He reached out, grabbing her at the stomach.

Katie gave a yelp as Harrison lashed out at her, his strong grip forced her against the door jamb while his other hand pushed, almost too hard, against her distended abdomen, almost as if he was trying to push it in. Her skin crawled as he handled her, but she was frozen to the spot. She wanted to scream, but now he was touching her it was if her vocal chords had ceased to be, and no noise would come out from her other than her rapid rattling breath.

Harrison squeezed the hard surface of the young girl's stomach with disgust, this was the cause of it, he knew it, he had taken her and she had been too old and now his body was fighting to overcome the trauma by urging him to take more and more girls the right age. Roughly he pulled the frightened girl into the small room and released her. Her forward momentum and lack of balance causing her to stumble and hit the wall. Harrison quickly lowered the blind that covered the window. Closing the door behind him, he fixed Katie with a vicious stare.

Katie gulped as Harrison stared down at her, she felt ill now, and not just from the sight of the despicable man, she felt peculiar. What she wouldn't give to have her mother or father come into the building right now. She gulped down the wave of nausea that coursed through her. Harrison approached her again, his coarse and calloused hands ripping at her dress. Katie gasped realising that this was probably what it had been like for him the first time as well, the time when he stole her innocence. Her breath exited her body in short noisy bursts, as he groped at her. A scream finally escaping her lips as he ripped her dress open at the stomach.

Harrison grimaced at the sight of the taught, stretched flesh in front of him, she was completely ruined. He took a step closer to her, pinning her against the rough wooden wall with his hands, she gave a small cry of pain but he took no notice "We're just going to sit tight for a little while" he hissed at her, shoving her downwards with force so that she landed heavily on the floor.

Katie landed on the floor with such force that her breath was knocked out of her. Winded she ran her fingers along the floor. Her fingers made contact with a sharp sliver of glass from the broken window. She closed her fingers around the shard tightly, to the point where the glass almost pierced her skin. She knew she only had one chance at escaping it. Composing herself she pushed herself onto her knees and lashed out her arm. The pointed edge of the glass slashed down Harrison's face, slicing his flesh. The man gave a bellow like the animal he was and clutched at his face in pain. Katie seized her chance, she forced herself into a standing position and then her legs to move into a run.

Harrison grabbed wildly at the girl as she tried to run away, his fingers caught up in the skirt of her dress he pulled hard.

Katie back landed against the desk hard, her swollen body falling onto the wood floor. She kicked out her legs crying for help, trying to get his horrible hands off of her. Freeing herself from his grip once more Katie crawled along the floor trying to reach the door. But his hands reached out for her again.

Harrison grabbed at the crawling girl; he forced his weight on top of her, stopping her from moving, his hand finding her mouth stopping her from screaming. Now he had her pinned he could not fathom what to do with her. She was still writhing beneath him, her hands lashing out hitting him, but he knew the minute he released her she would attempt to get away again or scream, and if she did he knew that his freedom was over.

Katie's hand skirted across the dusty floorboards, her finger brushed the shard of glass, the broken piece of window that she had dropped when she fell. She gripped it and struck him.

Harrison yowled in pain as he felt something enter his left side. He pitched to right, falling off Katie as he clutched his side in agony.

Katie struck at him again aiming for his leg. She missed his leg as he moved instead hitting the base of his torso. Harrison screamed in pain, his cry even more animalistic then the last. Katie pulled herself free from his legs and dragged herself across the floor towards the small room, away from him. She let out a pained cry as she felt her muscles clamp down across her belly, a different and new type of pain to one she had ever experienced. As it subsided she recommenced the process of dragging her body across the floor, desperate to get away from the man who had caused her torment. She reached up to haul her overwhelmed body into a standing position, her hand reaching for the door handle to provide something solid to assist her in rising. A new sensation engulfed her before she had a chance to grip the cold metal handle, she gasped as she felt something give within her and let out a cry of shock as fluid rushed from between her legs.


	11. Chapter 10

_Thanks to everyone for reading, This is the penultimate chapter and you'll be pleased to know Harrison finally gets what he deserves :) _

Chapter 10

Michaela froze her hands trembling above the wound which she was stitching. She lowered the needle and thread to the table, trying to fathom the feeling she was currently experiencing

"Dr Mike?" her patient asked staring at her curiously.

"Excuse me" Michaela whispered, she exited the treatment area.

Out in the hallway her strange feeling continued, intensifying, rolling across her in waves, "Katie" her daughter's names escaped her lips. Something was happening with her daughter; she knew it, her little girl was in trouble, in pain. Michaela could feel Katie calling for her. Michaela broke into a run; faster than she had ever ran in her life. She crossed the space between the hospital and her old clinic so quickly it felt as through her feet had not even touched the ground.

"Katie" she called turning the handle of the door. It was locked. Alarm continued to rise in her. Sully only ever locked the door when the office was empty, yet she knew her daughter was inside, she was compelled to be here. A low moan sounded from inside the room. From the octave used Michaela could tell it was a man and that it was not Sully. Panic rose within her and she began hammering on the door, screaming her daughter's name.

"Ma" a small pained voice called out to her. Michaela took a step back from the door. She ran at it, forcing her shoulder into wooden surface with all her weight behind it. The door did not budge. Desperate she tried again and a third time. With her fourth attempt the door gave and she burst into the room. Though the man on the floor was closest to her, the only thing Michaela saw in focus was Katie, the rest of the room blurred.

"Ma-aaah" Katie's cry became elongated as another pain gripped her, her voice going high and turning into a scream. Michaela sped to her daughter; Katie's small figure slumped against the wall, her face cut and covered with blood and sweat.

Tenderly Michaela kissed Katie's damp forehead. "It will be alright sweetheart" her voice was shaky and she struggled to keep from crying.

"Ma it's him" Katie mumbled her eyes drifting to her mother's face "Make him go away"

Michaela kept her gaze on her little girl "We'll get you to the hospital, you don't need to worry anymore, it will be alright"

"Dr Mike?" the confused voice of one of Hank's girls drifted across the room. The girl took one look at Michaela cradling her daughter and the bleeding man on the floor and pivoted on the spot. "Get a chair" she screamed out to her colleagues "And the guns" The young prostitute rushed to assist the doctor and her daughter. "Here" she held out her thin shawl to Michaela "use this for her head"

A cacophony of running feet punctuated the room as the rest of the girls in Hank's employment burst into the room. Two of them carrying a chair with sturdy wooden arms, the other two holding weapons; a pistol and a shotgun. "Here get her in the chair" the young woman guided Michaela. Carefully they raised Katie into the chair. "I'll help you get her to the hospital" the woman told Michaela. "Don't worry about him" she nodded at Harrison, who Michaela noticed for the first time "If he moves the girls will shoot him"

* * *

Simon assessed the young girl, a frown forming as he took in the status of the labour and the gasping breaths that Katie was taking. It had appeared to him that Michaela medical expertise had completely left her as she came to terms with what was happening to her daughter and she was failing to notice the worrying sounds that Katie was making.

Michaela winced as Katie let out a scream of pain, her young frame shaking with the tremendous event it was being forced through. Michaela soothingly ran her hand down Katie's face "You are going to be fine Katie"

Katie stared up at her mother with fear laden eyes "It's hurts Mommy, make it stop" her voice was tiny.

Michaela bit back her tears "I know sweetheart, I know it hurts, just try and breathe, remember how I showed you" Michaela took some deep breaths, coaxing Katie to copy her as another pain hit.

"Katie" Simon said gently as he approached the head of the bed. "I need you to tell me if anywhere else hurts?"

"My whole body hurts" Katie cried shaking her voice frantic.

"Katie I need you to calm down, think past the pain of the baby, does anywhere else hurt?" Simon looked at Michaela for help as Katie squirmed on the bed. "She needs to calm down Michaela"

"Katie" Michaela mopped her daughter's brow "Can you try and relax for me please sweetheart, it will hurt less if you relax"

Katie shook her head violently too overcome to comply with her mother's request "Ma" she grasped her hand out for Michaela "Mommy help me"

Michaela brushed Katie's blonde hair from out of her face "Katie you need to tell me what else hurts so Simon can treat you, so we can help you"

Katie let out a cry as Simon placed the bell of his stethoscope on her stomach. His frown deepened.  
"Michaela, please get her to calm down"

Michaela shot her employee a look of complete contempt. "Tell me how should I do that Simon? How should I tell my daughter after all she has been through to be calm on the most painful day of her life?"

Simon swallowed, he knew that anything Michaela was saying was heat of the moment should be discounted. He also knew that he needed to appeal to the doctor in her, get Dr Quinn out in the room as opposed to Michaela the mother "The baby is distressed Michaela, I'm concerned for Katie's breathing" he took a deep breath psyching himself for what he was about to say "I think we should do a caesarean"

"What!" Michaela was shocked

"It's for the best Michaela, she can't cope at this early stage and if we want a happy outcome"

"A happy outcome" Michaela repeated slowly.

"You know what I mean Michaela" The two doctors stared each other down, neither one refusing to back down.

Katie took a loud and rattling breath, her hand groping at her side "I can't breathe"

Simon turned away from Michaela and studied the area that Katie was holding. Dark bruises were forming on her chest. "Katie did you fall? Did you hit your side?" Simon asked quickly. Katie barely able to pant her way through the next pain nodded her head. Simon frowned, his focus on the young girl's bulging jugular vein. "Tension pneumothorax" he whispered to himself. "Michaela we are doing a caesarean section. No arguments," Simon reached beneath Katie lifting her into his arms "You have to let me do this if you want her to stand a chance"

Michaela nodded slowly, tears flowing down her drawn cheeks. She followed Simon out of the room the nurses and interns busying around him as the young doctor called out orders as he moved to the operating room with Katie in his arms.

* * *

Sully leapt from his horse, terrified by the broken doorway to his office.

"KATIE" he called for his daughter as he rushed into the room. He came to a halt, his mind processing the sight of Harrison bleeding on the floor with two of Hank's girls standing over him guns trained at his head. Sully let out an anguished bellow and raised his arm ready to charge at the man who had tortured and damaged his daughter.

"SHE'S HAVING IT" Hank yelled as he swaggered into the room. His shout was enough to stop Sully from acting; he swung his blue eyes up to Hank. Hank nodded at Sully "Your little girl needs you Sully. Monster ain't going anywhere, me and my girls will see to that. Get over there" Hank reached out to Sully pulling and pushing him from the room. "Get." He shoved Sully out onto the street "Get going"

Hank watched as Sully stumbled away. Slowly Hank sauntered back into the room, he held out his hand indicating to the girl beside him that he wanted his pistol.

Hank knelt beside Harrison, his face twisted into a snarl. "She got you good" he made an appraising account of the injuries that Katie had inflicted upon the despicable man "I'll make you a deal, if you're still alive in the morning we'll get ya a trial and ya can beg for your sorry life." He lowered his mouth to Harrison's ear, dropping his voice so that only Harrison could hear him "I want to make sure though that that ain't going to happen." Hank pushed the pistol against Harrison's crotch, his finger tensing on the trigger "Just wanna make sure you can't hurt anyone like you hurt Katie"

* * *

Sully felt as if his heart would break when he saw Michaela. She was sat slumped on the floor of the hospital her eyes fixed on a point in the wall, tears rolling down her cheeks. He lowered himself to the floor beside the figure of wife and took her despondent form into his arms

"Oh Sully" Michaela sobbed into his chest.

Tenderly Sully rocked her back and forth, frightened to let go of her, needing her to be close in this most dreadful of times.

"Dr Mike" The worried parents looked up at Evelyn who stood gently holding a blanket wrapped bundle. "Would you like to meet your grandson?" The young nurse knelt beside them. With great care she placed the tiny baby into Michaela's arms.

Michaela gasped as she took the weight of the baby into her arms "Sully, he looks like Katie" she whispered, gently rocking the baby as his tiny red face scrunched up slightly. Sully smiled down at the baby experiencing an emotion he had not expected to feel, the feeling of love. The feeling coursed through him like lightening, the same aching love that he had felt the first time he had seen Katie. Love which meant he would protect this little boy with his life.

* * *

Katie's eyes fluttered open, she groaned softly as she felt the pull of stitches in her now still, aching and relatively flat abdomen. Her left hand reached for her side, where she felt the sting of yet more stitches.

"Easy now" a voice spoke to her. Blearily Katie tried to make out the owner, the moving shapes in front of her failing to pull into focus. "You did so well" the voice came again, followed by the sensation of a gentle kiss from a pair of rough lips. Her father's lips.

"Poppy" Katie mumbled, calling him by the name she had used as a child. She blinked several times her dry eyes filling with moisture, the shapes in the room drifting into images, the room becoming clear.

"Hey there" Sully whispered brushing her hair from her face

"Where's Ma?"

Sully smiled and flicked his eyes over to the corner of the small recovery room.

Katie stared in the direction to where her mother sat in a chair a small wrapped bundle in her arms. "Would you like to see?" Michaela asked gently, unsure of how Katie would react to the baby or if she would even want to see him. Michaela waited patiently for Katie's answer, strangely content with the tiny baby boy in her arms. She wanted whatever decision to be made to be Katie's, for her daughter to decide how she dealt with the arrival of her son. Slowly Katie nodded. Gently as so not to alarm Katie Michaela approached the bed, her face was warm with love but she was prepared to move away if it became too much for the young girl. She held out the baby so Katie could see his face.

"It's a boy" Katie said, without being prompted. Michaela smiled; with the baby wrapped up the way he was there was no way for her to know the baby was a boy. It was simply down to the fact that Katie knew her baby.

"Yes Sweetheart it's a boy" Michaela positioned herself on the bed, holding the baby within Katie's reach. Slowly the young girl pulled back the blanket the baby was wrapped in to reveal his hands. She placed her left index finger into his right hand and he seized it. Michaela beamed at the expression of wonder on her daughter's face.

"Does he have to go to Boston?" Katie asked after a few moments.

Michaela looked up at Sully, "Not if you don't want him to" he told his little girl, leaning forward and kissing her softly. "He can stay here with us"

Katie smiled and sank back into the pillows of the bed her eyes fixed on the baby "I'd like that"

Michaela smiled at Sully, happiness and love flowing out of her, Sully returned her smiled before leaning forward towards Katie "He gotta name?" his strong hands gently stroking the baby's soft cheek, "Can't keep calling him he"

Katie contemplated the question, her gaze not leaving the baby's face "I never thought about it" she sighed "I figured someone else would name him, his real Ma and Pa"

"You are his real Ma" Michaela smiled and bent over so that she could place the baby in Katie's arms.

Katie accepted the small baby into her arms. Holding the baby awkwardly she looked up at her parents, her eyes filling with tears "I don't know how to be a Ma"

"You got plenty of help" Sully leant forward and kissed her gently "Me and your Ma had plenty of practice" he smiled at Katie trying to get her to smile. His gentle joke was lost on Katie and she returned her gaze to the little boy in her arms. Michaela rose from the bed, nodding to Sully to move away and let their daughter bond with her son. Sully wrapped his arms around Michaela's waist, pulling her in tight to him. "Do you think we'll be able to do this?"

Michaela kissed him gently on the cheek "I think we will do fine" she leant into his chest, her hand resting tenderly against his chest.

"Joshua" Katie spoke, making her parents to turn towards her. "I think I'd like to name him Joshua. That's if you like it?"

"Joshua Sully" Michaela sounded it out "That's a strong name. I like it a lot. In fact" she moved to the bed, carefully sitting beside her daughter so as to not to jar Katie's stitches "I think it's perfect"


	12. Chapter 11

_And now the end, it's a very different ending to what I originally wrote but also think it's the most appropriate. Thank you to everyone to sticking this out, I know it has been a difficult story to read(to write also) I really appreciate your time and especially to those who have taken the time to review. I promise that the next thing I write will be back in the normal vein of the show that I am quite rapidly becoming a bit obsessed with, It will be a season 7 type of thing, well thats the plan at the moment and as with everything plans change. But for now the final part of this, I hope you feel it's good enough._

_The words of the service are taken from here, I have no idea if it's the correct demonination but I felt the words were very appropriate, so big thank you to whoever hosts the site._

_.net/~_

_Thank you for reading_

_Kate_

* * *

Chapter 11

Katie smoothed her dress and stared into the mirror a smile forming as she took in her almost normal appearance. After months of bulging so roundly at the middle she was finally looking almost normal, she finally had a waist again. She examined herself closely in the mirror. Even though she was thin again, her body certainly looked different than before, her hips were a little wider and her breasts were large and heavy but her Ma assured her that they would decrease when she finished making the milk she fed Joshua with. She sighed, she was different, but it was a different she could cope with. She looked around at a knock on her door.

"Katie?" Michaela asked opening the door. She smiled at her daughter, "Oh you look very pretty"

"Thank you. Where's Joshua?" Katie asked smoothing her dress one last time and turning away from the mirror.

"He's with your Pa" Michaela held out her hands "I wondered if you would like me to do your hair?"

Katie shook her head "It's alright" she ran her fingers through her hair, it had grown long during her pregnancy and she had done little to it the entire time. She let the long blonde strands fall down her back and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Michaela asked, her nervousness rising, she knew from experience the rush of emotions that came after having a baby, she worried for her daughter just as much as she worried about pushing Katie too hard or taking over too much and making Katie feel inferior. In truth she was just nervous and worried about the whole situation and she struggled to keep the expression off her face.

Katie sighed heavily again, and turned to her mother "Ma?" she paused and exhaled slowly "Ma, even though I've had a baby. I'm still your little girl right?"

Michaela rushed forward and engulfed Katie in her in arms "Of course you are" she kissed Katie repeatedly on her forehead "You will always be my little girl"

* * *

Hank looked up at the sound of his name being spoken. "Katie" he nodded at the young girl hovering on the street "How are you?"

"Thinner" she smiled at him

"I can see that" Hank took a drag on his cigar.

"May I ask you a question?" Katie asked nervously fiddling with her dress.

"Mother's daughter, can't stop her, can't stop you" Hank drawled taking a slug from the bottle in his hand.

"What did you do with...um?" Katie asked her voice trailing off before she could finish her sentence.

Hank stared at her shocked that she would care what had happened to the man who had almost destroyed her life. He blinked back his surprise and took another swallow from the bottle before he responded quietly, "Threw him out with the trash"

"Oh" Katie smiled awkwardly "Hank, can I ask you a favour?" she didn't wait for a response "I know you don't go to church, but we're getting Joshua christened today and I would like you to come"

"Sure I won't be a corrupting influence" Hank smirked at her.

Katie shook her head violently, missing Hank's joke "Considering how he got made I reckon you'll be a good influence."

Hank regarded the young girl for a few moments "You having second thoughts"

"No" Katie shook her head, almost too quickly for Hank's liking

"You sure?"

Katie nodded her head and cast a look over her shoulder to where her parents stood near the church with the baby. "I'm sure" Hank raised his eyebrow "I am. It's just, I worry about it, you know, that we might not be good enough to fix the part of him that comes from... you know"

Hank exhaled "That kid is gonna be..." he paused, unsure of how to comfort her fears "I'll come" he held out his arm and Katie took his proffered arm and smiled. Hank looked down at her "Sure are right about you being thinner" he grunted, as Katie elbowed him in the ribs "Easy kid might change my mind"

* * *

The Reverend moved towards the small font in the Church he beckoned to the family to approach.

Michaela and Sully followed one step behind Katie as she approached the font carrying Joshua, the little boy dressed in the same Christening gown that she had worn 13 years earlier, the gown made by his grandmother.

At the feeling of a light touch on his arm from Sully the Reverend began the service

"In the Name of the Saviour, we offer this child to the Ministry of the Spirit. In the Name of the Saviour, Who lovest all children, we bring this child to Him; and we ask that He will be his Guide, Counsellor and Friend, to his life's end. Amen." He held his hand out across the water in the font "May the waters of the Spirit mingle with this water, to consecrate this child and keep him pure and holy, to keep him as a child dedicated to Christ. So may this little one answer His call and ever follow in His footsteps, in love, obedience and service. Amen. O Holy Spirit, come now with all Thy gifts, to endure this child, to strengthen and prepare him for the life before him; so that he may be strong in faith, courageous in spirit, and valiant for right; that at last he may hear the loving words: Well done, thou good and faithful servant" The words spoken the Reverend held out his arms for Katie to place Joshua in his arms. The baby situated the Reverend smiled and spoke softly to Katie "Name this child"

Katie took a deep breath "Joshua Byron Hank" she bit her lip, as a murmur passed around the church, she shot a look at Hank and gave him a smile before looking up at her parents, both of whom had raised their eyebrows.

The Reverend smiled and lowered his hand into the font and started to sprinkle the water onto Joshua's forehead. "Joshua Bryon Hank, I Baptise thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We place the Sign of protection and spiritual power - the Sign of the Cross - upon this child…" He traced the cross onto Joshua's forehead "in certainty that he, being held in the glory of Christ's Cross, shall be enabled to live courageously, faithfully and in love. Amen." He handed Joshua back to Katie and raised his arms to the entire congregation "Let us pray. We lift up our hearts in joyful thanksgiving to Thee, O God, our Father, and we thank Thee for the blessing bestowed by Spirit power upon this child. Accept, we pray Thee, our reverent worship and our praise for the mystery of human birth. Give to the family enduring joy and peace in their home; and guide them into wisdom, love and truth in their work of loving service to this child. May God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit guide, protect and keep you, now and always. Amen." He turned to Katie, his sightless eyes finding her blue ones and held her gaze like he could see into her "you have taken part in this sacred dedication of your child to the service of Christ. We pledge you to endeavour, earnestly and in truth, to inspire and teach this little one the Way of Life as taught by Jesus Christ. Let your example and influence guide him to be upright and honourable before all men. Train him in prayer, in worship, in reverence, and in the knowledge and love of God, through Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen." The Reverend raised his hands "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen."

* * *

Hank approached Sully as he stood standing over the grave of his first daughter. Sully turned and the two men regarded each other for a few moments.

"You mad she named him what she did?" Hank asked nervously

Sully shook his head and gave him a wry smile "I got more of an issue with Byron than Hank"

Hank returned the smile and held out his hand to Sully. The two men shook hands, a mutual sense of respect passing silently between them. The two men turned and wordlessly regarded the scene outside the church, the women fussing over the baby in Katie's arms "She's scared you know, about the kid turning out like him"

Sully nodded "I know. But he won't" Hank nodded in understanding and took a step outside of the cemetery. Immediately upon his exit he drew out a cigar and lit it. He took a reassuring drag, inhaling the smoke deep into his lungs. Sully followed Hank beyond the cemetery limit and stood beside him, his hands pushed into his pockets "What did you do with him?"

"You mean once he finished stealing air" Hank exhaled a ring of smoke "I threw him in the garbage heap. Figured it was where he belonged"

Sully took the words in for a few moments his eyes darting in the direction of where the town disposed of its waste

"Katie asked me the same thing" Hank muttered glancing sideways at Sully through his curtain of hair "Figured she wanted to know she was safe"

"Well she is" Sully retorted

Hank gripped Sully's shoulder and pulled the other man back to hold his gaze "Yeah Sully. She is"

* * *

Michaela looked up from her vanity as her bedroom door opened. She smiled into the reflection as Katie approached "Is Joshua down?" she asked running her brush through her long hair

"Yep" Katie stepped forward taking the brush from her mother, taking over the task of brushing the long locks "You have pretty hair"

Michaela regarded her appearance in the mirror, her eyes studying her long hair "It's very grey" she sighed with resignation.

"I think I helped it turn" she paused as Michaela reached and touched her arm "I love you Ma"

"I love you too" Michaela pivoted in her seat and drew Katie onto her lap "It feels good to hold you like this again"

Katie smiled and leant into Michaela, her cheek resting onto Michaela's shoulder "It feels good to be held like this. Now that I won't crush your knees" Both women looked up at the sound of Joshua wailing slightly from Katie's room, they waited and the baby quietened. "Ma, you think the words that got said today will be enough?"

Michaela pondered her daughter's question and then slowly nodded. She kissed Katie gently, her eyes filling with tears. "I think that Joshua is going to be fine, because we will love him and guide him and teach him."

"And that will be enough. He won't do anything..."

Michaela pressed her finger against Katie's lips "Katie I cannot promise you that, I don't know what will happen, no one does. If I could see the future then you would not have been through what you have. All I can promise you is that I will always love you. And I promise if you decide that this isn't the right arrangement for you I will help you find the right one"

"I want him" Katie leant her head back onto Michaela's shoulder, their faces side by side, Michaela moving in a gentle swaying movement, rocking both of them in perfect harmony "I don't understand it, I thought I would hate him, because of how he was made. But I don't. I love him. And I want him." Katie took a deep breath and smiled at the reflection in the mirror "I'm scared"

Michaela pressed her lips against Katie's temple, kissing her softly she rocked her daughter trying to retain the brief emergence of Katie's innocence for as long as she could "You are allowed to be, I was scared when I had you" She smiled, soothingly stroking Katie's blonde hair "It's normal"

Katie bit her lip and stared through the mirror at her mother "Normal" she smiled weakly, a look shared by her mother, a look which communed that they both knew that normal would never really apply to their family again.

* * *

The baby stirred slightly, his cover shifting and his arms waving free in the early September air. Katie rolled over onto her side and watched as his little arms waved in the dappled moonlight that filtered in from the full moon outside. Quickly she moved to the side of the crib and dropped to her knees, her head the same level as the mattress that Joshua lay upon. She sat motionless her eyes fixed on her son's head, on his dark brown tufty hair; Joshua's hair was the one thing she could tell was from him. She reached her hand through the bars of the crib, reaching for his soft skin, she ran her finger down his cheek, and smiled as Joshua's squirmed with delight. It was moments like these that she felt like she could do this, felt like she could be this little boy's mother, she could be who he needed, at least she hoped she could.

She moved her hand down the crib and tenderly rubbed the little boy's belly, it seemed so strange to her that only a few months ago this baby had been in her and when she had held him that first day he had seemed so small, now he was growing every day, thriving, under her care. When she had first asked if he could stay in Colorado Springs, she had expected that her mother and father would take on the roles of parents and she would be his big sister, but it wasn't the way it had happened, and that had been her decision, every time something was to be done, feed him, change him, bathe him, the words from her mother and father had always been 'if you want to' and she had wanted to. She wanted to do things for him, wanted to be near him. It was why he slept in her room, even though she given the reason of practicality when it came to feeding at night, in reality she liked being able to hear every noise he made, strangely it comforted her. She smiled to herself as Joshua's eyes closed apparently falling back to sleep. She had thought she would never be able to do it, but she was, even though that sometimes she was so terrified it hurt. There was so much to be afraid of, that she would do something wrong, that Joshua would get hurt, that he would turn out wrong like Harrison had been.

Suddenly the baby turned his head, surprising her with his wide awake expression, his bright blue eyes visible in the moonlight. His eyes seeming to fix on her, it was almost as if she was staring into her father's eyes or her own blue eyes reflected back at her from a mirror. Katie and her son regarding each other with their identical eyes, she knew that his age meant he would not be able to see her clearly but in that moment it felt like he was looking into her soul, and she into his. He could see her fear and love and she could see into his pure heart, a heart ready to be moulded by those around him, not who he was made from.

The End


End file.
